


Karma of Contradictions

by zoepeanut



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe, Depression, F/M, Friendship, Minor Character Death, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-07-11 15:08:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 102
Words: 329,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19930075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zoepeanut/pseuds/zoepeanut
Summary: When Mavis stepped down as Fairy Tail's first master, she chose Zeref as her successor. After years pass, the Council assumes Fairy Tail's second master has died and comes to demand the name of their third master. Now, Zeref must face the consequences of agreeing to aid Mavis so long ago, along with the guild he never wanted to lead in the first place.





	1. Descent into Darkness

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! This is my first story on this site, since I am starting to branch out and put stories up in multiple places. You can also find me on fanfiction under the same name, which is what I've primarily used up until now.

The doors to the Fairy Tail guild hall burst open, with the familiar sight of the Rune Knights greeting them all. Within, everyone did their best to continue on as normal. Mira kept serving drinks for the others, while Cana showed off her drinking prowess by outdrinking everyone inside. Even Makarov couldn’t beat her, and the short old man was known for getting more drunk than any man in the guild.

Leading the raid was Lahar, a strict man with black hair pulled up behind his head. He frowned at everyone within, turning towards Mira who smiled politely and waved at him from within. “Where is your Master this time, Fairy Tail?” he demanded, pulling out a scroll from his robes. “I have it on file that your guild has still neglected to update us on the status of the selection of your next master. If you do not select one by the end of the week, we will be forced to expel Fairy Tail from the official guild roster and disband the wizards gathered here.”

Smiling, Mira nodded and walked forward. “Of course, but I thought we told you who our Master was the last time you were here?” she commented, frowning as she gazed around. “Wasn’t it…oh, that’s right, Happy was the Master we named for you!”

In response to her words, a flying blue cat landed by her side with a wide grin, saluting Lahar. “Aye! Fairy Tail’s third master, here and reporting for duty!” the cat stated. The captain scowled at the creature, closing his eyes and pushing his glasses further up his face. 

“What kind of a fool do you take me for? A cat is not a wizard, that creature is not even fit to be a member of a wizards’ guild, let alone the master.” Lahar stated tersely. “This is the fifth time you’ve named a false leader for us. First, you claimed your former leader still remained. Based on our records,” Lahar began, glancing down at the scroll in his hands. “That would make this…Spriggan nearly one hundred and fifteen years old, an impossibility through sheer logic. When we requested a proper update, you then gave us the name of Ichiya, a member of Blue Pegasus. Going in to the others…an obvious fake name, a mere child named Romeo…and now, a cat.”

Cana put her drink down, wiping off her mouth and glaring over at the rune knights standing in their guild. “Hey, do you have a problem with us? Tell you what,” she began, smirking as she slammed two mugs down in between them. “If you can outdrink me, I’ll tell you who the real Master is around here.”

Sighing, Lahar turned towards his knights and waved his hand in the air, gesturing for them to leave. “One more day, Fairy Tail. If you give me another false name tomorrow, I will hasten the demise of your guild. Many on the Council agree with me, your guild is far more of a burden than a help to our society at this point.”

The crowding footsteps slowly faded away as the rune knights left. The guild began to return to its normal activity. Macao and Wakaba were grinning and checking out Mira while she served drinks. Erza, sat quietly in the corner, enjoying a piece of strawberry cake. Happy flew around, laughing as he joined his best friend within the guild, Lisanna. She was sitting next to her brother, Elfman, who was challenging Gray to a duel.

Glancing around, Mira walked back behind the counter, disappearing into the back room for a moment. When she returned, a young boy followed after her with a slightly amused smile on his face. “Hey, the Master’s back out!” she shouted. A few cheers echoed around, before Mira turned towards him with a slight frown. “Did you think we did well again this time, Spriggan?” Mira asked him, gazing out over the others. 

With dark black robes covering most of his body, Spriggan seemed quite dark for such a bright crowd. His white sash-like cloth, draping across his torso, seemed to make up for his darkness, but his mind was closer to the darkness of his robes than the brightness of the sash. “We shall see. I do believe this will not go over well…perhaps it is time for my ‘son’ to take over,” he suggested.

Frowning, Mira glanced at the counter and sighed. “I wish it would work…the other masters already know your face. Once they see you, it’ll all be over.”

Taking a glass from behind the counter, Spriggan, or as he was more commonly known, Zeref began to pour himself a drink. “I see the dilemma. Is there someone you’d recommend, then? The title must be passed on in name alone…unless….perhaps we could become a dark guild.”

Gasping in surprise, Mira stared at Zeref with wide eyes. “No…you said you did not want to go down that path again. That was what pushed you to us, wasn’t it? From the stories I’ve heard…dark guilds from all over the continent sought out your power. They wanted to know the secret to your long life…and to your ability to create living creatures from nothing, an art known as Living Magic.”

Chuckling, Zeref began to take a sip of his newly made drink. “Yes, that is quite correct,” he informed her. “Even so, I simply wished to avoid other dark guilds. Founding one on my own, however, is another matter entirely. Fairy Tail, led by their Spriggan leader onto a path of darkness and despair…it seems quite fitting, does it not?”

Walking up towards the counter, Lisanna took a seat and frowned as she overheard his comment. “Zeref, you know why we have to do this,” she stated quietly. “We’re wizards, we need to be an official guild to keep taking jobs. It is how we make a living, because unlike you, we don’t have massive empires funding our every action,” she commented, smiling light-heartedly at the mention of his status within the Alvarez Empire. “Is there really something terrible about letting someone else lead the guild, even if it’s in name alone?”

Quietly gazing at the counter, Zeref frowned. “This guild…it belongs to Mavis. I cannot…it must stay how she envisioned it becoming. I am the only one who knew her personally, the only one who can shape this guild into what she desired it to be.” The sadness in his tone made both sisters turn away. Neither of them knew Mavis personally, but their master’s love for their first master was known to all members of Fairy Tail.

Slowly smiling, Lisanna covered Zeref’s hand on the counter. “Well, then why not continue leading us, then? I’m certain the Council will understand when you—“ she began, but Zeref glared harshly at her, stepping towards the counter and leaning forward into her face.

“I am not informing anyone of this power, Lisanna. Who am I?” he asked quietly, demanding an answer.

The girl swallowed, leaning back slightly at the dark look in his gaze. “Z-Zeref. The Black Wizard Zeref.”

Smiling, Zeref leaned back and raised an eyebrow at Mira. “Exactly, and tell me, just where does the Council believe me to be?” he added.

Biting her lip, Mira tried to shoot Lisanna a sympathetic glance before speaking. “Dead, Master. That is why we call you Spriggan…because if anyone learns of your true identity, Fairy Tail will be hunted down and imprisoned for treason,” she stated calmly.

“This is why only people we trust are allowed to join…and why finding our next Master is inconsequential in the end.” Zeref stated darkly, raising his glass towards his mouth. “If we attempt to falsify our next Master, we will be arrested for falsifying records. If we do not identify a new Master, we will either cease to exist or become a dark guild. Or, finally, we can identify our true Master, myself, and we will all be imprisoned and likely perish for hiding my existence from the world. Logically, the answer is quite simple, if we wish to survive and maintain the family Mavis once created.”

Lisanna and Mira joined Zeref in gazing out over the guild. All of them bore similar expressions of sadness, with a resignation in their gaze. “You see, I have thought this over for quite some time. I may not be the tactician Mavis was, but I have seen many wars over the years and I know when it is time to retreat and await for a better opportunity. As of tomorrow, Fairy Tail will no longer be an official guild…instead, you will join me as we rise to become the most powerful dark guild in all of Ishgar, lead by the most powerful wizard this nation has ever seen,” Zeref added darkly.

“What about those of us who are not willing to sacrifice so much?” Mira asked quietly. “Dark guilds…they murder and steal from others. Their only jobs are the ones official guilds refuse to take, because they involve illegal activities. If Fairy Tail becomes one of them, you do realize you will lose almost every wizard we have here.”

Setting down his drink, Zeref began to walk out from behind the counter. A few wizards shot him looks of surprise, watching as he made his way to the center of the guild hall. A fight had broken out in the distance, with Gray and Elfman arguing over who was more powerful as a wizard. Seeing the battle. Erza rose to her feet and kicked both of them down, watching Zeref with a frown. “Master, is something wrong?” she questioned.

Smiling, Zeref lifted his head. Raising a single arm, he let out a shot of black magic towards the roof of the guild hall. The spell collided with the ceiling, sending one of the rafters falling down and collapsing at his feet. Wizards rushed to get out of the way, silence settling over them in an instant as they stared in shock at the man who was currently leading them. “Now, it is good to see I have your attention,” Zeref stated quietly.

Everyone stared at Zeref. Cana looked impressed, taking a drink and smirking at him from her seat on the table. By her side, Makarov frowned, gazing into his own mug with lines of worry crossing his wrinkled face. In the table next to her, Macao and Wakaba clung to each other, their expressions transforming from fear into embarrassment as they realized what they had done while escaping Zeref’s show of power. Erza stood behind Zeref, her arms crossed over her chest as Gray and Elfman slowly stepped closer to listen to Zeref’s words.

“Our guild was established on a single premise, a question posed between two friends who were always of the same heart and mind.” Zeref began, seeing others smile in response. “Bonds, ties…these things all keep us together as one, and allow us to remain connected to Mavis despite her current state. Now, the Council threatens to take all of this away from us. They claim I am dead, that it is impossible for me to live on. I ask you, Fairy Tail, is it impossible for a wizard to gain eternal life?”

“No!” came the chorus of shouts from the wizards, a few cheering and grinning at Zeref.

Nodding, Zeref let his head fall slightly, staring directly ahead of him. “I have lived for four hundred years. I have seen empires rise and fall, I have witnessed the era of war between mankind and dragons. In the end, no one knows better than I that everything must come to an end…that all things always end in death. Today, it is time for the end of another era, the era we are all familiar and comfortable with. I wish to ask of you, are you willing to do whatever it takes, to keep this family alive?”

Grinning, Gray turned towards Elfman and clapped the other man’s hand. “Yes! It takes a real man to fight for his family!” the white haired man shouted.

“Shut up, you idiot! Not all of us are men, so tone it down a bit and let us ladies show you that we can fight for our friends too.” Cana added, raising a drink towards Zeref.

Still looking concerned, Makarov slowly lifted his gaze towards Zeref. “This path…I fear it may be dark and lead all of our children down paths we would rather not face…but you may be right. There is only one way for Fairy Tail to continue on, as much as it pains all of us to admit it.” he stated, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

Erza nodded in agreement, turning her gaze towards her feet on the ground in silence. Lisanna and Mira watched from the counter, looking amazed at how well Zeref managed to command the wizards he lead. “Very well. As a master of dark magic, I shall help you in the transition over these next few months. It will be brutal, and you will not come out of this the same as when you started…but I promise you, Fairy Tail’s name will live on. We will usher in an era of darkness and despair…in which the name Fairy Tail strikes fear into the hearts of everyone in the nation.”


	2. Creating a Message

Zeref was a leader, something that came naturally to him despite his antisocial personality. He knew how to get things done and how to persuade others to do as he asked, with no questions involved. That was how he had managed to run an entire empire without revolt, expanding and taking over numerous bordering areas until his nation was larger than any other. 

His speech was no different here, considering the nature of this guild. Zeref had become their guild master after Mavis passed away. He had been her closest friend, the only person she trusted enough to take care of her family. Despite the fact that he had not spoken to a single member in months, Zeref would not ignore the request of the only friend he had made. Thus, he found himself the leader of a guild in Ishgar, while also ruling over the Alvarez Empire.

Zeref had given the guild a night to sleep on his announcement. Now, it was early morning, and there was work to be done. They had all gathered at the guild hall, expecting a typical day when Zeref walked back into the center of the guild. Still remembering the previous day, the wizards knew to grow silent without the need to break the guild hall further.

“You have had some time to think on my words. This is the last chance you have for any objections, wizards of Fairy Tail. Do we continue to go down this path, and turn towards the shadows of the dark guilds? Or do you wish to attempt to fight against the Council and maintain your name on the list of official guilds?” Zeref asked the wizards.

Gray was quiet, glancing around towards the others. He looked uncertain, but slowly, he raised his gaze to focus on Zeref’s black eyes. “We’re with you, just like we’ve always been.” Gray stated, smirking slightly. “As a member of Fairy Tail, I can tell you that we’re not like your usual wizard, associating the name of the black wizard with fear and terror. We’re the only ones that know the truth, and if I’m being honest with you, I know that I can trust you with our lives, no matter how dark they become.”

A few others began nodding in agreement, cheering Zeref on to keep moving forward. This was what he expected, from a group that had been taught that family and friends were more important than life itself. After so much time being a part of Fairy Tail, Zeref was immersed as a member of that family. He was surprised to be pleased with that fact, considering he spent so much time trying to isolate himself from the world. Now, he had a group of powerful wizards, all willing to fight for him at a moment’s notice. One day, he had every intention of using that for his own gain. There was a way to save Mavis, and if he had to, he’d use Fairy Tail to bring her back.

Nodding, Zeref began to move quickly through the crowds, smiling darkly towards the door. “Then…it is time.” he declared, turning towards the others. “The Council will be back soon, seeking the name of our next master. I wish to leave them a message.”

The others frowned in confusion, unsure of what he meant. Closing his eyes, Zeref created a small orb of black magic in his hand. The sphere looked almost solid, dancing around his palms before the black wizard smiled. He shot it towards one of the pillars holding up the second floor balcony, destroying it in an instant. “Zeref, what are you doing?” Levy asked quietly, a young girl Zeref often found reading books.

“Destroying Fairy Tail,” he told her quietly, tilting his head towards the others. “You are all welcome to join me.”

Conceptually, it was simple. Zeref intended to destroy their guild hall, so that there would be no evidence of what occurred within. Mavis’ body was once held in the basement, but Zeref had spent the night taking care of that issue. Now, he had relocated it to the Alvarez Empire, where no one would be able to find it again. 

Wizards seemed to hesitate around him, making Zeref simply begin to do more. Orbs of black death magic appeared by his body, usually used against living creatures of some form. It felt odd, using his black magic as a physical object to break through buildings. It functioned, but it was not the intended purpose for such spells. His orbs of black magic were sent flying everywhere. Holes shot through walls, leaving the sound of air moving in the guild hall. Tables were torn apart from shots that went low, colliding with the ground and tearing apart the floorboards. Others shot into the bar, shattering glasses and destroying the familiar counter at which wizards gathered to gossip with Mira about potential relationships in the guild.

Someone grabbed Zeref’s arm, making him frown and glance over. “This…this is horrible. Fairy Tail is our home, how could you…?” Erza began, trailing off. Her brown eyes filled with tears, while her long scarlet hair hung down and rustled slightly in the breeze.

“If you cannot handle this, Erza Scarlet, then you should simply leave,” Zeref ordered. She flinched, while the others stared at him with wide eyes. “Dark wizards do not take easy jobs. We break laws and care for little other than ourselves. Simply put, protecting our family shall become our sole focus, while we ignore any other moral qualms the world may have over our actions. Destroying a mere building? If you cannot withstand aiding me in this…you will not survive a single day of being a dark wizard, where death and suffering become a daily part of life.”

With fists clenched by her side, Erza refused to move. Someone touched a hand to her shoulder, making the girl glance up in surprise. Behind her, Mira’s blue eyes were kind and soft, smiling with a slight tear falling down her cheek. “He’s right, you know. Fairy Tail isn’t about the guild hall…it’s about all of us. This is our first step to becoming dark wizards. We need to let go of our past, Erza, and that means we must help Zeref.”

Stepping back, Zeref watched as Mira transformed into her she-devil form. Her hair spiked upwards and her lips reddened. Black streaks danced along her cheeks, leaving her face harsh yet strangely beautiful. Charging forward. Mira slashed through pillars with her demonic claws. “That’s my sister! Only a real man can destroy with so much passion!” Elfman called out, before joining in. His beast arm tore through tables, smashing them into splinters in the ground.

With others starting the process, a cheer erupted from the Fairy Tail wizards. Other charged forward, magic shooting from their hands and into the guild hall they once called home. It became a sight rowdier than even the worst of brawls they had in this place, with wood and debris flying everywhere. Makarov’s titan form was more than enough to give him the height to attack the roof. With his grandson joining into the fray, lightning began to dance along the walls and sent more holes into the structure. Before long, there was nothing more to hold the building upright. 

Seeing the imminent collapse, Zeref closed his eyes and drew upon his own power. Teleportation magic was tricky, but it was a skill he had mastered when he realized just how useful it could be. As a person possessing the ability to unleash massive clouds of death magic, Zeref functioned best if he could leave at a moment’s notice, before witnesses arrived to see the devastation he caused. In other situations, it allowed him to escape the grasp of dark wizards seeking out his own magic. Either way, teleportation was a skill he had learned, which now allowed him to save the Fairy Tail wizards from destroying themselves with the guild they once called home.

Now standing with the other guild members on the street just outside the guild, Zeref turned to watch the final collapse of the guild hall. Others gathered around him, wearing expressions of sadness and determination as they watched the walls begin to tumble down, dust spewing into the air. The roof caved inward on itself, making the building appear to split in two as the center caved in, collapsing on the ruble that remained inside. Standing a distance in front of the others, Zeref let himself smile slightly at the sight.

Mira stepped closer, frowning at the destruction. “Now what? How will we inform the others that were away on jobs?” she questioned quietly.

Tilting his head, Zeref raised an eyebrow at her. “Is this not sufficient to deliver our message even to them? So long as our name lives on, our members are talented enough to find us, wherever we may be. That is the way this guild has operated for years, and it is the way it shall remain. After all, we do still have a goal in mind, don’t we?” he questioned.

Dropping her head, Mira touched her arm and slowly nodded. “Yes, we do, but I still don’t see how it will be possible for us after all of this. Saving Mavis…bringing her back will require a lot more than turning to darkness.”

With his smile fading, Zeref nodded. He turned away from the ruble, his robes rustling with each step he took towards Magnolia. Citizens were moving closer to the collapsed guild hall, coming to investigate what had just occurred. It would be best for them to leave, before they attracted too much attention. Right now, they seemed too focused on rushing towards the guild to even notice the group of wizards, walking through the crowds quietly, sticking close to the sides of the streets to avoid the crowds running towards the former guild hall. “Indeed, but I will guide us to that moment. Fairy Tail’s first master is not dead…I will not allow her to remain as she is now. Our greatest treasure is still protected, that much I can promise you, Mirajane,”

Nodding, Mira let herself fall back. Whenever Zeref spoke of Mavis, they all knew it was dangerous to stand too close to him. Memories of the girl gave him a renewed attachment to life, something he had long since abandoned. His magic was controlled for now, so long as each member of the guild was simply a pawn in his eyes. It would suffice, considering his goal to resurrect Mavis. 

Shirtless and with arms crossed over his chest, Gray called out towards Zeref. “Yo, Master, what now? Your genius plan destroyed our guild hall before we even had another place to go,” he stated, snark deep in his voice. 

Pausing, Zeref turned back with a blank expression. “We simply take what is needed. That is, after all, how dark guilds operate. Another dark guild exists nearby, one that I believe we can conquer without too much difficulty. Their hall will become our own, the new home for Fairy Tail.”

Levy blinked at him, pressing her hands to her chest nervously. “Wait, you aren’t saying…are you seriously expecting us to go to war with another guild already? That’s…that’s illegal! Even if it is a dark guild, it isn’t right.”

“Then leave,” Zeref stated, his voice cold and unforgiving. “I explained this before. Levy. We are now a dark guild, thus, we no longer bend to the rules set forth by the magic council. Beginning a war with another guild…well, perhaps it is extreme, but Fairy Tail often goes to extreme lengths on any mission, from the complaints I’ve gathered as my time as your master.” A few wizards rubbed the back of their heads, grumbling about how their actions were justified at the time. “Much like destroying our guild hall, if we cannot withstand jobs such as this, we will not make it much of anywhere with our new status.”

Levy glanced towards the ground, her hand closing into a fist as she trembled slightly. Jet and Droy came to comfort her, encouraging her to keep going as much as they could. With her distraction, Erza stepped forward with her own questions. “I see. Extreme lengths I can handle, so long as we maintain our status as comrades. Which guild is our target, Master? If I am to draw my blade against an enemy, I wish to know of their name at least,” she stated. Her expression was dark, her gaze serious. 

Staring at her, Zeref smiled slightly. At least one of these wizards had the guts to go forward with his plans, he noted. “Eisenwald, one of the smaller dark guilds in the area. It is the perfect target for us, since their guild hall is already in an isolated area near the town of Oshibana. Everyone gathered here will travel with me to their base, and we will defeat every wizard present to make that guild hall our own.” he insisted.

Stepping somewhat closer, Lisanna raised her hand hesitantly. “Um…you aren’t saying we have to kill them, are you? I get that we’re going dark…” She trailed off, her arm wrapping around her body and gripping her other arm tightly. “but that doesn’t mean we want to be an assassination guild. To be honest, I was hoping we could at least attempt to do legitimate jobs of some form…even if we aren’t an official guild.”

Running a hand through his hair, Zeref closed his eyes and sighed. “Few understand what it is we are doing…tell me, Lisanna, just where do guilds get their job requests from?” 

The girl paused, frowning for a moment. “Don’t people submit requests to the guilds directly? I mean, we could do the same, even with the Council threatening to disband us…” she suggested.

Mira stepped in, shaking her head. “Actually, that’s not entirely true. Most people must first petition the Council to submit their job to a wizard’s guild. Not all jobs are legal to perform, and many of them don’t even require actual magic to solve,” she explained, glancing towards Zeref. “After reviewing all submitted jobs, the Council then selects the guilds that are best suited to dealing with the tasks, based on the skills of the wizards within each guild and taking into consideration any special requests from those submitting the jobs. At that point, it is up to each guild master to separate requests into the different levels of difficulty, determining S-class jobs for more powerful wizards while other jobs are allowed to be taken by any member of the guild. As a dark guild, we won’t even be able to see legitimate job requests as a result, not unless we break into another legitimate guild and take them for ourselves.”

“You guys are all taking this far too seriously, if you ask me,” Cana stated, shaking her head. “Who cares if we have to barge in and steal a guild hall for ourselves? I’ve got to find my booze somewhere, and this Eisenwald place seems to be as good as any. After all, we’re Fairy Tail, since when do we care about rules?”

Makarov nodded, looking serious as he stood by her side. “Cana is right. So long as our family lives on, we will persevere. Do what you think is right in your hearts, and do not let others tell you how to behave. That is the Fairy Tail way, and that is how we will continue on in these dark times.”

Satisfied that the guild wizards had reasoned through this on their own, Zeref continued moving through town towards the train station. The others followed after, some of them more calm than others about their future mission. Either way, Zeref knew that he had at least given this guild a chance to survive and stay together. Closing his eyes, Zeref let the memory of Mavis float into his mind. He would do as she asked of him, in order to show her just how sorry he was for what had happened. 

Rushing ahead of the wizards, Zeref quickly found a dark alley to hide in for a moment, feeling his head beginning to pound harshly. A pulse of dark magic exploded from his body, wilting the weeds that had begun growing within the cracks of the street. Staring down at them, Zeref felt tears stream down his cheeks. He may have a guild and he may also have an empire, but he was still utterly alone in his life. Living on was far more painful than he had thought it would be, but he could not abandon the one place left that Mavis had clung to. Hopefully, he’d find a way to return her to this world, so he could go back to his former mission. Death, after all, was the only method of finding peace for someone such as him, and he still had every intention of finding a way to end his immortal life.


	3. New Orders

Leading any unit within the rune knights could be challenging for anyone. Leading a unit assigned to keep track of Fairy Tail was even more so. Lahar was meeting with the Council, to inform them of just what had occurred when he returned this morning to determine the current leader of Fairy Tail’s guild. What he saw there left him stunned, standing with wide eyes at the sight in Magnolia.

The entire guild hall was completely and utterly destroyed. Walls had collapsed, with wooden beams splintered apart and bent in strange directions on the ground. Rocks were torn through, and ruble was scattered everywhere. Even stranger was the sight of the land itself where Fairy Tail had once rested. Any plants that had been growing, from trees to the smallest of weeds, were dead and lifeless around the building. 

His squad had spent the day dealing with the panicked citizens of Magnolia. They had heard the collapse, and many had rushed to see the former guild hall. Most claimed they had heard the sounds of loud crashes and bangs echoing throughout the streets, causing their initial interest in seeing the place. When they arrived, most saw nothing more than the destroyed building, leaving Lahar trapped investigating more on just what had become of the former wizard’s guild.

Lahar had left a few of his squad members behind in Magnolia, questioning any remaining citizens about anything they may have seen. He needed to find these wizards, before further damage was done. Magic was a dangerous gift, and it appeared as if Fairy Tail was no longer listening to the Council’s guidance on the matter. He could not fathom why it was such a struggle for them to select a new master, but in the end, that was not the issue at hand. His issue was dealing with the destructive group of wizards, that had seemingly vanished from the city under the chaos of the destroyed guild hall. 

Within the Council room, Lahar found himself standing before three of the most prominent members. Siegrain stood in the center, observing him calmly with Ultear by his side. Yajima, the short old man, stood on the opposite side of Siegrain, his brows drawn together as Lahar began his report. “I regret to inform you that I have once again failed to ascertain the identity of Fairy Tail’s new master. In fact, it appears as if the entire guild has managed to disappear overnight.” he began.

“The entire guild?” Yajima questioned, raising his eyebrows. “That isn’t possible! Fairy Tail is one of the largest guilds in Fiore, it can’t simply vanish without a trace.”

Narrowing his eyes, Siegrain looked doubtful as well. “Indeed, Yajima has quite a valid point. Perhaps the question is not of Fairy Tail’s whereabouts, but of your skill as a Captain, Lahar. Your task was quite simple, yet you’ve managed to fail six times now.” he insisted

Lowering his gaze, Lahar let his eyes close as he bowed slightly to the council members before him. “I am sorry, if you must strip me of my position, so be it. The facts I’ve stated still remain true. Fairy Tail has continuously refused to name their third master, and after being informed of the risk to losing their official guild status, they’ve fled Magnolia. I have members of my squad interrogating the citizens as we speak, but from what I’ve gathered, I believe it is Fairy Tail’s intention to become a dark guild.”

“This is not good.” Yajima commented, leaning forward on his cane. His expression was grim, his frown creating more wrinkles on his aged face. “Fairy Tail is a respected guild, and quite powerful in its own right. If they become dark wizards, we will likely be facing another guild just as powerful as those in the Baram Alliance, if not even stronger than them.”

Chuckling, Ultear smirked and shook her head. “I don’t know if I’d go that far, Yajima. Though, I do suppose it would be unwise to underestimate them. They’ve been known to cause much damage even on legitimate jobs, after all.” she commented.

Rising from his bow, Lahar nodded in agreement. “Indeed, and I shall take full responsibility for the results of this investigation. Fairy Tail was my responsibility to deal with, and I did not take them as seriously as I should have. Because of my lack of attention, I failed to realize how far they were willing to go to conceal the identity of their true master.”

Shaking his head, Yajima took a step closer to Lahar. “It is not entirely your fault, Lahar. We also failed to see just how far Fairy Tail was willing to go. I often supported them during our meetings, even defended their actions when we questioned if they needed to be punished in some form for their destructive tendencies,” he insisted.

Siegrain was frowning, though, glancing towards Ultear for a moment. “Still, I find this entire situation so odd. What guild would forsake everything, simply to avoid naming a guild master? It isn’t all that challenging of a task, I’m sure,” he questioned.

“Yes, but Fairy Tail has always been quite unusual.” Ultear countered, smiling over towards Lahar. “Especially based on Captain Lahar’s accounts as of late. Didn’t you report that they had attempted to name a cat as their master yesterday?”

Glancing away, Lahar nodded swiftly. “Of course, and I immediately informed them of the issue. Naming a cat…it was simply absurd. Honestly, it was as if they were merely toying with us each time we arrived. Perhaps that was the warning I should have seen…the one that told us what was to come.”

“What is done is done, there is nothing more we can do to change it.” Siegrain stated, letting his arms drop to his sides. “Besides, leaving town cannot be a sure sign of becoming a dark guild, Lahar.”

With wide eyes, Lahar took a single step forward, leaning towards the members of the council. “You don’t understand!” he shouted, insistent on the matter. “Their entire guild hall was destroyed…and from what I could sense, large amounts of magical energy lingered in the air surrounding their former guild. Based on those two facts…I’d say Fairy Tail destroyed their own home.”

“Destroyed their guild hall, you say?” Ultear questioned, placing a hand on her hip. The other held on to a strange white orb, carefully balanced in the air. “Well, I bet that caused quite a stir within Magnolia. I did not realize Fairy Tail would go to such lengths to create a mere distraction for the townsfolk nearby.”

With his eyebrows drawing together once more, Yajima nodded in agreement. “Yes…with that fact added in to what we already know, it is almost certain that they’ve turned to join the dark guilds. The Fairy Tail we once knew is no more…and they’ve delivered their message loud and clear with the destruction of their guild hall,” he stated darkly.

Closing his eyes for a brief moment, Siegrain seemed to think about what he had heard. He remained still, his head tilted downward somewhat, making his blue hair fall forward slightly. When his eyes opened once more, they were narrowed and focused, glaring into the depths of Lahar’s own eyes. Sweat beaded on his forehead, wondering just what that look was for. “I see. You did not inform us of that soon enough, Lahar,” Siegrain commented.

Folding his arms behind his back, Siegrain continued on, his gaze locked onto Lahar. “With this new fact coming to light, I believe we have no choice but to take action. You’ve found no information as of now, but someone must have seen something, considering the damage. Find these rogue wizards, Lahar, and bring them to justice as is your job.”

His order seemed strict, with no room left for argument. Ultear smiled by his side, looking pleased as Lahar stared back with wide eyes. “Find them? How? There is no trace, no one even among our rune knights possesses magic that can track down individuals with ease. Such spells have not existed for centuries,” he insisted.

“Captain Lahar, please be calm.” Yajima stated, glancing towards the others. “We do have our own ways of tracking others down, though they aren’t always…easy, to utilize,” he commented. “Siegrain, you aren’t suggesting using him, are you?”

Nodding, Siegrain’s smile spread across his face. The expression seemed to make him look even more intimidating, leaving Lahar taking a small step back. “Indeed. What better way to employ his magic, then to track down our enemy? He may have been awaiting trial for his destruction of that ship in Hargeon, but his talents are perfect for this occasion.”

Lahar froze at the mention of Hargeon, eyes wide at what he heard. That town had been where his last arrest occurred, before he was given the task of identifying Fairy Tail’s next master. Something big had been going on in town, gathering wizards from all across the globe. The Salamander was rumored to be in town, and during his own time there, Lahar found himself irritated with the reactions of every female in town. They seemed to all be in love with the wizard, and the crowds had interfered with his attempts to investigate the rumors about illegal charm usage in town.

Despite his original job in town, he found himself dealing with a very different matter. It had been late at night when he was awoken by the sensation of massive magical energy in the air. Glancing out the window of his room at the inn, Lahar had witnessed a massive tsunami shoving a boat into the harbor. Rushing outside, he had gathered as many of his rune knights as possible to find the culprit and bring them to justice for destroying private property. 

Like all wizards, they had fled. A young woman, a celestial wizard, was being towed behind a strange man with pink hair. Since the woman was clearly being held against her will, Lahar had generously let her go with a warning. Natsu Dragneel, the other wizard, was brought into custody and was currently awaiting trial for his actions.

Turning towards the council members, Lahar pushed his glasses further up on his nose. “That wizard…you are not referring to Natsu Dragneel, are you? I was not aware that the wizard I had arrested would even be capable of aiding in any way,” he commented.

“I suppose that would depend on your definition of help,” Yajima commented, sighing as he shook his head. “It is a bad idea, considering the damage that boy has done. This isn’t the first time he’s had the public angered for damage. Even legitimate guilds refuse to allow him to join, after all of the arrests he’s had for property damage.”

“Wait, he was arrested before this?” Lahar asked, his eyes widened slightly in surprise. “I did not realize he was so well-known.”

Siegrain nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. “Indeed, we do our best to keep such things quiet. It would not do good for the public to be afraid of a menace that often takes things too far when trying to help,” he stated. “Even so, his magic enhances his senses. If you direct him properly, he may be able to track down these wizards much like a dog, following their scent to their new location.”

“We don’t have a full council convened, Siegrain. Getting approval to release a prisoner requires more than just the three of us, doesn’t it?” Ultear commented, glancing towards her fellow council member.

Nodding, Siegrain smiled towards Lahar. “Perhaps, though I doubt few would even notice his absence. Natsu Dragneel isn’t a criminal of grave importance. He at least attempts to perform legitimate jobs, even if he does destroy a few buildings in the process,” he commented. “In fact, I’m sending more than just the one wizard to aid you. Natsu may be capable of tracking him, but you will need someone to help coordinate the actions between the two of you and your squad.”

Yajima nodded in agreement. “Indeed, there is another captain that would do well as your partner, I think. Doranbolt should be arriving in Era soon for his next assignment. If you wait until his arrival, we will quickly begin to assemble your team for finding and capturing the wizards of the guild formerly known as Fairy Tail.”

Nodding, Lahar gave them one last bow and moved to leave the council room. The meeting had gone quite well, all things considered. Now, he had a new mission, and this time, he would not fail. He would locate Fairy Tail, and this time, he would bring them to justice. When he did so, he would make sure he interrogated every last member and finally determine just what the secret was that they were so determined to hide from the law.


	4. Interrogation

Fairy Tail had gone on ahead of him, Zeref noted. His brief pause in the alley had led to them failing to notice his absence. It wasn’t entirely uncommon, since he often disappeared from sight at random moments from the wizards he found himself surrounded with. His curse was not an easy thing to live with, nor was it simple to control.

Walking out onto the street, Zeref paused and glanced up towards the sky. The sun was almost centered above him, nearing midday. People were still panicking in the streets, running passed him to see the remains of Fairy Tail. He cared little for them, though. It often made him wonder why his magic acted up on days like this, when he saw the strangers that meant nothing to him. Few of the citizens of Magnolia even knew of his existence, let alone took the time to speak with him. 

Still, as he gazed down at his feet, Zeref knew what he was missing. Maybe he did not value them in particular, but there was a small group of individuals slowly growing closer to him. Each day he spent as Master brought him closer to the wizards of Fairy Tail. He was becoming a part of their family, and as such, it was becoming dangerous for him to remain with them. While he had no intention of leaving, after leading the guild for nearly fifty years, he did know it was best to keep his distance. 

Taking a step out towards the public, Zeref made sure to avoid as many people as possible. He hated crowds, and this panic was putting his nerves on edge. The more people he was surrounded with, the more danger he posed to the world. That much he knew well, but Fairy Tail had already been built in this public place when he came into leadership. As such, he dealt with it as best as he could. Often times, he would leave in the dead of night for some peace of mind, resting in the surrounding forest rather than in his own bed.

The main streets were slowly becoming calmer, Zeref noted. People were returning to their homes, a few of them glancing towards Fairy Tail’s guild hall as they did so. Parents ushered their children away from the dangerous place created by the destruction of the building, hurrying away from the former site of the town’s guild. That, however, was not what caught Zeref’s attention.

Scattered throughout the citizens of the town were rune knights. All of them were dressed in their uniforms, with long robes covering their bodies and decorated on the chests with ankhs. They would stop citizens in the streets, pulling them aside and whispering under their breaths. Ducking his head, Zeref hoped to avoid their detection and move on without much notice.

“Excuse me,” he whispered, brushing past a woman already being interrogated. She paused, glancing at him before stepping aside to let him pass. The knight before her seemed to follow his motion. Zeref could feel the man’s gaze on him as he continued down the street, in search for the wizards he traveled with. Hopefully, they had managed to avoid detection themselves, because otherwise things would become far more challenging than they already were.

Turning down another street, Zeref let out a breath of relief. He had avoided one obstacle, and now, he was that much closer to the train station that would hopefully be where Fairy Tail had found themselves. Things were looking well until he felt someone grab his arm, making him stiffen and instinctively rip his arm away. He jumped back, putting some distance between himself and the other individual. His eyes opened wide when he saw the blue and white robes of a rune knight.

“Sorry for startling you, sir, but we have a few questions concerning the incident earlier today.” the knight stated. Glancing down the street, Zeref began to realize it would be futile to resist. Nodding, he returned his gaze to the knight, following the man towards the side of the street to begin the questioning. “Now, where were you when the collapse began?”

Zeref was never good at lying on the spot. He had lived for a long time, and while he could be deceitful, he did his best to avoid outright lies to others. “I…at home, I suppose,” he commented softly. In a way, the guild hall was his home. He had no where else to go, since he did not purchase lodging within Magnolia. 

The knight nodded, writing something down on a paper he held in his hand. “I see…oh, I almost forgot what my first question was meant to be. Can you identify yourself for our records? We need to ensure that no one was injured or killed during the collapse,” he added.

Stiffening, Zeref blurted out the first name that came to mind. “August.” Maybe they wouldn’t identify the member of his guard in the Alvarez Empire, but it was an odd enough name as it was.

The knight made a note, frowning only slightly at the strange name. “Last name?” he added, waiting for Zeref to continue.

“Yura.” he stated almost numbly. If he was utilizing the names of the Spriggan Twelve, he might as well continue on with the rest. 

Nodding, the knight glanced back towards Zeref. “Very well, Mr. Yura. You were at home when the collapse began. Did you see anything odd around you at the time?” 

Thinking back, Zeref tried to recall if there was anything odd about the guild when he began leading them to destroy their former home. He was frowning as he thought, folding his arms over his chest before slowly shaking his head. “No, I do not recall anything out of the ordinary.” Destruction was common for Fairy Tail wizards, after all. 

More scribbling was done as he continued making notes. “When the noise began, did you move to investigate the guild hall?”

“I was the first one to see the aftermath of the collapse,” Zeref stated confidently. That much he was certain of. The other wizards had been far too dazed to observe the guild hall, but Zeref had remained calm the entire time. His magic required a calm mindset, if he wished to avoid destroying the world around him.

With wide eyes, the knight seemed to get far more interested in Zeref than before. “Really? Well, did you see anyone fleeing from the scene? Perhaps a wizard who was responsible for the destruction of the building?”

Glancing down the street, Zeref caught sight of Romeo standing in the distance. The young boy seemed to be searching for something, and after a few moments, his eyes landed on Zeref. He began to wave towards Zeref, before he noticed the knight by his side. Shaking his head slightly, Zeref tried to warn the boy to wait for just a moment. He did not have much time to finish dealing with this man, but he could not simply kill off the knight. It would leave them with more questions, and an even greater motivation to track down Fairy Tail.

Interpreting the head shake as Zeref’s answer to the question, the knight moved on. “Oh, I see. Are you absolutely sure? Anything, even the smallest detail could be helpful.”

Sighing, Zeref focused back on the knight. “There is little to tell. I arrived in front of the guild hall and saw it destroyed. Afterwords, I left before the crowd could begin to form. Simply seeing the destruction was enough to answer any questions I may have had.”

“Hey, Dad!” Romeo shouted, startling Zeref. He did not see Macao anywhere near here, but he could have missed something. He was focused on the interrogation after all. Lifting his gaze, Zeref saw the child rushing towards him, making him blink in surprise. Romeo calmly grabbed Zeref’s hand, an action few members of his guild were brave enough to take. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Romeo turned towards the rune knight, blinking innocently. “Oh, sorry to interrupt, sir.”

The rune knight smiled at Romeo, putting away the paper he had been writing on and shaking his head. “Don’t worry about it, kid. I was just finishing up, anyway. You two take care. Please, stay away from the wreckage, it is a dangerous place and we are still investigating the area for more clues,” he stated. Smiling, Romeo nodded and began to walk off, pulling Zeref behind him.

“Sorry, I didn’t know what else to say,” the young fire wizard explained. Turning towards Zeref, he slowly released the man’s hand and took a step away. “Are you alright? I thought you might need some help getting away from that knight.”

Zeref nodded, pressing his hand close to his side now that it was released. He felt the softness of his robes swarm around his palm, leaving him comforted by the fact that it was no longer near a living being. “Yes, I suppose I am. His questions were rather simple in design. Even while telling the truth, he did not comprehend what had occurred,” Zeref explained.

Laughing, Romeo folded his arms behind his head. “You sure showed them, didn’t you, Master?” he stated cheerily. The boy grinned at Zeref for a moment, before moving forward towards the train station. “Anyway, the others are waiting for you. We’ve gotten tickets for Oshibana, so we’ll be at least close to Eisenwald before we start off.”

Glancing down the street, Zeref frowned. “Yes, though with all of this attention, it may prove troublesome,” he commented. “Has anyone left yet?”

“I think Laxus and the Thunder Legion went ahead. He claimed that he had more important things to do than wait around with us.” Romeo explained. “Other than that, the others said we had to find you first. I didn’t even notice you left the group, actually. Sorry for moving on without you, Master, we were all too busy worrying about what we were doing next to even notice.”

Hesitating, Zeref nearly reached out to pat Romeo’s head. He wished to comfort the child, since it would be far harder on him than the others in a way. Transforming into a dark guild would corrupt his innocence, and in a way, it reminded Zeref of when August first came to him. He had been young then, too, but Zeref had trained him in the art of war. Now, the man was ancient and wise, but he no longer held the look of someone who still saw wondrous things in the world. August knew too much of the truth to see such things, and he only looked for more knowledge now.

Instead of following his initial impulse, Zeref balled his hand into a fist hidden within the folds of his robe. “That is not unsurprising. Change is often resisted by the world, you would not be different to fight against the tide pulling us onto this path,” Zeref mused. “However, if you think about it, we could benefit from this path. Black magic is no longer banned from our research, and if we wish to free your first master, any spell is now a reasonable course of action. There are many such spells hidden within this continent, all we must do is search to find them.”

With a bright smile, Romeo nodded and picked up his pace. “Sounds like a plan! First, we need to get a home ready for us all to return to, though. I know my dad is going to want a place to rest after all of his hard work. He makes me proud to be a wizard’s son, and one day, I’m going to be just like him,” he insisted brightly.

Zeref’s black eyes turned distant, considering his own personality. He often wondered if he was like his parents, and how they would feel about him now. Both of them were long gone, but moments like this reminded him that he once lived a normal life, to some degree. War ravaged the land, but they had remained separate from the battles. His parents had not been wizards, despite his own magical talents growing up. As a result, while they were poor from the suffering economy, they had peace.

Every time he thought of them, Zeref felt a throbbing in his head, paired with an ache in his heart. His magic once again wished to lash out as he recalled the lives of the few people he cared about in his past. Shaking his head, Zeref cleared his thoughts and focused back on the task at hand. Fleeing Magnolia was his first priority, and anything else was simply a distraction at this point.

Arriving at the train station, Zeref stopped and observed the gathered wizards. They blended in quite well with the normal citizens of the town. Even here, the rune knights made their rounds, interrogating people as they walked by. A few Fairy Tail wizards were caught up with the rune knights, being questioned just as Zeref had been.

Taking a seat next to Macao, Zeref kept his gaze facing forward as he spoke quietly, under his breath. “We will stagger our departures. The rune knights are searching for anything suspicious, and as such, we must take care in avoiding attracting attention. Pass this along to the others as they are freed from their questioning, for I intend on leaving first. The crowds are beginning to get to me, and I fear the result if I remain much longer.”

Mildly alarmed, Macao observed him for a moment. “Are you sure you can handle it? Trains aren’t going to have a smaller crowd.”

Grateful that the man was at least smart enough to avoid calling him master, Zeref watched as people began to board the next train. “True, however, there are fewer threats. Rune Knights are not traveling aboard these trains, they are too focused on the citizens here,” Zeref explained.

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that. In fact, we sent a few people ahead because of it. I hope you don’t mind, but a few members of our guild are a bit more noticeable than others, if you know what I mean.” Macao grinned and elbowed Zeref slightly, a light blush on his cheeks. The middle aged man may have been married, but Zeref knew all too well about the man’s perverted thoughts about the younger wizards in the guild.

With his eyes narrowing slightly, he allowed himself to smile slightly. “Good, that will help us for now. I assume that is where Mira and Lisanna are at the moment?”

Searching the crowd, Zeref tried to determine who else was missing. It was hard, considering how many people had gathered within. “Yep, we sent Cana and Levy ahead as well. Oh, and Laxus and his pals took off on their own. Those brats don’t understand how good they have it here, acting like they own the place sometimes,” he complained.

Romeo moved to sit closer to his father, silently listening in to their conversation. “Perhaps it is time to teach him who is the true master around here…then again, I wouldn’t want to scare away every member of our guild,” Zeref mused, slightly amused at the idea. Glancing back towards the train, Zeref rose to his feet. “Regardless, the train is about to depart and I must be off. Do tell the others of my orders, Macao. We will meet in Oshibana, and from there, we will take down Eisenwald and create our new home.”

The man nodded, patting his son’s head as Zeref quickly pushed through the crowd. The doors to the train were just about to shut when he arrived. Showing his ticket to the woman at the gate, Zeref passed through and entered just in time. Closing his eyes, he moved towards the far corner of the train. Taking a seat, he made himself as small as possible, avoiding all eye contact as he awaited their destination. Soon, he would be free from the constricting feeling of being around others. Then, he could finally take a deep breath, and allow himself to think openly once more, without fear of killing everyone in the vicinity of himself.


	5. Releasing the Prisoner

Lahar had heard much about Doranbolt in the past. The man was a rising star amongst the rune knights. He had started out only a year ago, yet the man had miraculously risen to the role as captain. Lahar had spent nearly five years to get to the same position, and he never once broke a single rule laid down by his superiors. Meeting the prodigy of the council would be an honor, and he eagerly awaited his arrival.

On the other hand, it would be coupled with the return of a rather irritating wizard that even he had struggled to control. Natsu Dragneel was powerful, but he was also quite reckless and impulsive from what he had heard. Dealing with him in any manner would be challenging, but if it meant succeeding in his task, he would find a way to manage it.

Walking down into the holding cells, Lahar moved to locate that very prisoner. Siegrain had given him orders to release the wizard as soon as possible, and with Doranbolt on his way, Lahar wasted no time. With the key in hand, he kept a wary gaze out towards the other prisoners. The walls of these cells were built with magic-sealing materials, blocking off any magic usage within. It made Lahar nervous, being cut off from his power, but it was acceptable given the circumstances. Prisoners could not be given any chance of escape, and the sealed magic only helped keep them contained.

A few prisoners glanced towards him as he walked by, glaring harshly at the sight of a captain within the prison. Most ignored him, leaving Lahar’s gaze focused on the hall in front of him. Natsu was within one of these cells, he simply had to determine which one. Siegrain had stated that it wouldn’t be hard to find the wizard, but he was now beginning to doubt the council member’s words. 

Frowning, he turned towards the cells once more. More wizards still sat within each cell, unfamiliar to him despite his reputation for leading multiple arrests. Most wizards were often forgotten after justice was served, he realized. Natsu had only stood out because of how strange that event was, and with how recently it had occurred. The others seemed to blend together as one, various wizards arrested for illegal acts such as murder, theft, black magic, and numerous other transgressions. He lost count of exactly how many wizards he had put in prison, but it would not surprise him if one of them sought out revenge one day.

“Come on, when are you gonna feed me already?” a voice complained rather loudly. “Damn it, this sucks! Why did I have to try and stop that stupid salamander impersonator anyway? He wasn’t a dragon, that faker.” 

Recognizing the voice, Lahar moved quickly to its source. Five cells down was where he found the boy, sitting on his bed with a scowl on his face. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he was dressed in the same outfit Lahar had last seen on the boy. A black vest with orange trim covered part of his chest, with a white scarf wrapped around his neck.

Lifting his gaze slightly, Natsu frowned over at Lahar, his gaze somewhat friendlier. “Huh? What are you doing down here?” The boy paused for a moment, sniffing the air before narrowing his eyes. “Wait a second, I recognize that smell! You’re the bastard who brought me to this place! Get me out of here, already. I told ya, I didn’t do anything wrong. That ship was asking to be destroyed, they tried to kidnap that Luigi girl and he impersonated a dragon!”

The boy’s ramblings were rather odd, but Lahar ignored them. Touching his head, he closed his eyes and wondered if perhaps there was a slightly simpler way to deal with this. Realizing he had no choice, he stood taller and stared the wizard in the eyes. “Natsu Dragneel, the Council has decided to offer you a deal. You will be pardoned for your crimes, if, in return, you aid us in tracking down a particularly troublesome enemy.”

Blinking, Natsu slowly began to grin and rise to his feet. “Is that all? Well, count me in! I’m all fired up, just tell me who the criminal is I’m going to be fighting.”

Glaring harshly at the boy, Lahar knew to put an end to this quickly. “No, you will not be fighting. We do not want any more property damage, our goal is simply for you to track the enemy. Once located, the rune knights will handle the rest,” Lahar insisted.

This made Natsu frown, huffing and crossing his arms over his chest. “Why do you get to have all of the fun? I wanna fight too!” He sounded almost like a child, with his complaints.

A headache was bound to form if this went on for long, Lahar decided. Focusing on the wizard, he grew even more determined to reason with this man. “Perhaps you will see reason when you know what you are up against. We wish for you to track down the wizard’s guild known as Fairy Tail. Every single member vanished as of two days ago, and now, they are wanted for destroying public property and suspicion of using black magic.”

The black magic part may have been a bit too much, but the fire wizard seemed to look interested. “An entire guild? Wait…did you say Fairy Tail?” he questioned. Something dark brewed in Natsu’s gaze, as Lahar nodded affirmatively. “Well, that sounds like fun. I’ve got a few things to say to one of their members, anyway. Lisanna…I’m going to make you tell me why the hell you abandoned me.”

Unsure of what to say, Lahar stepped forward. “I need a yes or a no. Do you accept these terms, Natsu Dragneel?”

Coming closer to the exit of his cell, Natsu smirked. “Hell yes, I do. Like I said, I’ve got an old friend in the guild. She’s got a few things to explain to me, after everything she put me through.”

Lifting his arm, Lahar carefully inserted the key into the lock. Turning it, he released the cell door and pulled it open, stepping aside to allow Natsu to join him. “This is not a place for personal vendettas, however, we will accept you just the same,” Lahar stated calmly. “There will be one more member joining us shortly. I am Lahar, the captain of the fourth custody enforcement unit of the rune knights.”

Natsu nodded, glancing around at the cells as they walked by. “Really? Well, I guess you know a lot about Fairy Tail then, don’t you? Rune knights are always complaining about that guild from what I’ve heard.” 

“The council in general, actually. Their second master refused to meet with us in person, only responding to our complaints with letters of his own. While he was identified, not a single council member learned of his face.” Thinking about it, Lahar had actually questioned at one point if Spriggan was even real. “If it were not for the other guild masters insisting that he had been introduced at one of their annual meetings, I would have doubted his very existence. Still, he took little action in controlling his guild’s wizards, allowing them to run rampant and nearly destroy entire cities during their jobs. In a way, they remind me of your actions in Hargeon.”

Looking bored, Natsu only shrugged. It seemed to take him a moment to catch the reference to his own actions. When he did, he glared at Lahar. “Hey, I was justified back then! I already told you, that Bora guy was kidnapping girls,” he insisted.

“Bora?” Lahar questioned. He had heard reports of that wizard within the council. In fact, he was expelled from the Titan Nose guild for illegal magic use. Considering the man’s file, Lahar would not be surprised if he had taken to another form of illegal trade. “I see. Regardless, that is not our concern.”

Walking up the staircase to return to the main halls of the council building, Lahar sighed. There was limited information to provide Natsu with, now that he thought about it. He knew nothing about the boy’s magic, and if he was locating Fairy Tail’s wizards, he would likely need more details than what had been provided. Carefully considering what to do next, Lahar remained silent as they walked through the halls.

After a few moments, Lahar sighed and turned towards Natsu, stopping in his path. “You are my ally in this matter. For that reason alone, I will reveal this information. Fairy Tail is now a dark guild, their official status revoked by the council. We are searching for them so we can force those wizards to disband, and prevent the creation of a fourth guild entering the Baram Alliance,” he stated.

The wizard’s eyes widened considerably at this. “Dark guild?” he stated, shock coloring his tone. “That…Lisanna would never…it makes no sense! Why the hell would Fairy Tail become a dark guild? They’ve got no reason to want to hurt anybody.”

“I know little about the specific wizards in the guild, however, it did surprise us as well,” Lahar admitted. “We ordered them to release the name of their next master, after the death of Spriggan. Their constant refusal led to us threatening to disband their guild…and their reaction was to personally destroy their guild hall and recklessly endanger the lives of those living nearby.”

There was still a frown on Natsu’s face. “Damn it, I wanted to do that myself!” he complained, before sighing and running a hand through his hair. “I guess I’ll have to settle for tracking them down. Are we heading off to Magnolia, then? I’ve gotta be near the last place they were seen to find their scent.”

Not expecting the boy to literally track through smell, Lahar’s eyes widened slightly. “You…just what kind of magic do you utilize? I’ve never once heard of a wizard capable of tracking someone with their scent.” he commented.

Grinning, Natsu looked quite proud as he stood taller. “I’m a dragon slayer, Igneel taught me my magic.”

Lahar had no response for that. Dragon slaying magic was a lost magic, one that he had never expected to encounter. From what he understood, an actual dragon was necessary for anyone to properly learn the art. Based on Natsu’s previous complaints about Bora, Lahar would not be surprised to hear that Natsu assumed the other wizard was a dragon himself. 

Thinking even further into his own research, he realized another shocking fact. Igneel was a familiar name, one that was mentioned only in their history books. He was the king of the fire dragons, the most powerful fire dragon in existence. If that dragon had trained Natsu, the boy was likely far more powerful than Lahar ever realized before. It was a good thing he had been captured so quickly, now that he thought about it. Resistance from a powerful wizard would have proved troublesome, since he had not thought to put down a barrier ahead of time to trap the boy.

With the dragon slayer following after him, Lahar moved to return to his temporary room. Natsu’s magic might actually be useful, if it came to a battle between the rune knights and Fairy Tail. Hopefully, he could avoid such a tragedy, but if those wizards truly were going down a dark path, Lahar would not hesitate to use any force necessary to stop them. Glancing at the dragon slayer’s thoughtful expression, Lahar knew it would be hard on the boy to see such a thing. This Lisanna girl was important to him, or at least, she had been. He wondered what she had done to Natsu to earn his anger, and if she regretted her decision. For some reason, Lahar couldn’t help but feel intrigued by it all, considering Fairy Tail’s exclusiveness and Natsu’s rage towards the girl that had run off to join the most secretive guild in all of Fiore.


	6. A Plan to Protect

It was annoying, being stuck in this place for so long. Natsu had finally been released from his prison cell, but he felt like he might as well have stayed put. Lahar had brought him to a different room, which was a bit more comfortable to wait in than the dungeon in the basement. This place had a more comfortable bed, but Natsu was used to camping so beds weren’t all that important for him to be honest. A desk rested across from the bed, with books shelved above the writing surface and a few loose papers on the actual table. 

Staring at the papers, Natsu considered going over and reading them. The rune knight captain was resting, he thought, lying down on the bed in the room. Natsu was sitting on the floor with his legs crossed, glaring out around the room. From what he could tell, the papers were still unfinished. A pen rested beside them, but reading unfinished paperwork was better than sitting around doing nothing, at least.

Glancing back at Lahar, Natsu finally made his decision. He rose to his feet, giving up on the idea of staying still. Walking towards the desk, he frowned as he pressed his palm to the surface, leaning over the paperwork. Some form was being filled out on the surface, documenting the names of Fairy Tail wizards. One line was blank on the sheet hidden below, the line naming the guild master. On the other sheet, a red stamp rested on top of all the writing, with the word disbanded covering the names listed. 

Picking them up, Natsu began to realize what this was. Lahar had been investigating Fairy Tail, from what he could see. Each wizard within was documented and accounted for, but just as Lahar stated, there was no master. Skimming through the listed wizards, Natsu paused when he found Lisanna’s name. She was directly below the names of both of her siblings, but she had hurt him more than them.

He remembered Lisanna quite well. The two of them had been best friends, after Igneel left. Natsu had been alone, crying as he found himself wandering into town one day. That was when he ran into Lisanna. She had smiled at him, and her blue eyes had seemed so kind and gentle. When he told her his father was gone, she told him that it was okay, because all things had to die some day. She made him realize that as long as he remembered Igneel, his father was still alive in his heart. Then, he had shouted at her and insisted that Igneel was alive, and just missing.

Still, he wasn’t confident about that fact. Setting the papers back down, Natsu took a seat in the chair next to the desk. He leaned back in it, scratching his head as he wondered just what to do next. It was unlikely that the rune knight captain had anything on the location of a dragon, but it didn’t hurt to look. Glancing at the books on the shelf above him, Natsu picked one at random to begin reading.

The words slowly began to blur before his eyes, as his mind became distracted once more. Hearing mention of Fairy Tail had thrown off his usual rhythm. He was normally so carefree, and he was good at not letting things bother him. Lisanna was different. From that day on, Natsu went out searching for her whenever he was sad. The two of them would play games, while her siblings waited for her to return back at home. He didn’t know Mira or Elfman very well, but he knew that they both loved their sister.

With just Lisanna, he would go out to the forest and try showing her his magic. In response, she would demonstrate her own. He always enjoyed watching it. Transformation magic was unusual, and it always made Lisanna look like a cute little animal of some kind. Thinking about it, Lisanna had been practicing magic when they first found Happy’s egg, too.

Natsu’s expression darkened as he set his book back down. Rubbing his shoulder, he let out a sigh. Lahar rolled over in his sleep at the slight noise. Apparently, the man was a light sleeper, Natsu noted. Turning back to the desk, Natsu let his eyes closed, remembering the last time he really saw Lisanna.

They had still been children, that much he knew. She was just a little girl, and he had been panicking that day. He had gone out to get firewood for their homemade tent in the forest, where they often played house with Happy. When he returned, his arms filled with wood, he had dropped his load immediately. Both Lisanna and Happy had vanished from within, and Natsu had no clue where they had gone.   
He spent the entire night, searching the forest for them. He tried using his nose to track Lisanna’s scent, but it had been raining and it messed with his senses. He wasn’t skilled enough at the time to track through the water hiding her scent, and that left him walking in circles. Eventually, Natsu had given up and sat back in the hut they had made together, crying and wondering how he would explain this to Mirajane and Elfman.

Without any sleep, he had wandered back into town the next day. His eyes were red and puffy, with redness on his cheeks from so many tears. He was constantly rubbing at his eyes too, with the burning sensation lingering in them despite the fact that his tears had finally stopped falling. He had meandered through the streets, his feet dragging on the stone ground as he made his way towards the Strauss family’s home. 

Walking up to the door, Natsu hesitated for a moment. Lisanna’s face had flashed in his mind, and with it came the urge to cry again. Fighting back more tears, he raised his hand and knocked on the door. He had expected to see Mira, dressed in her usual dark black clothing that hid her white hair and arm that never seemed to return to normal with her magic. Instead, he was stunned to see Lisanna, avoiding his gaze with one hand grabbing her arm. 

He had demanded to know what happened, but she refused to say anything. Even Happy, the cat they had both been friends with, continually insisted they couldn’t explain it. Happy had been crying, apologizing to Natsu, but all he could focus on was blaming Lisanna. On her arm was a new mark, the mark of a wizard’s guild. After that day, Natsu never saw her or her family again. They moved, and left him all alone in that town, where no one knew him and no one believed that he was raised by a dragon.

Picking up the first sheet again, Natsu scowled at the sight. Apparently, the girl brought her real family with her to the guild. It bothered him, seeing that she had managed to stay with the people she cared for. He was alone, and while he did his best to smile even when he was upset, it bothered him to no end. While he didn’t necessarily want Lisanna to suffer, he wanted her to understand what she had put him through for all of these years.

Shaking his head, Natsu tossed the sheet aside. It fell from his hand and drifted to the floor, landing slightly angled as one end caught on the edge of the desk’s leg. He continued staring at it, unsure of if he had agreed to this to help free himself, or to find that girl again. Either way, he was now stuck with this job. If he had to, he would fight with Lahar to stop Fairy Tail from corrupting the girl he once knew. Lisanna was too bright and innocent to be a dark wizard, he knew she wouldn’t survive that way.

The door to the room opened suddenly, making Natsu blink and spin around towards the entrance. A man was walking in, with an x-shaped scar around his left eye. His hair was short and black, nearly shaved as he frowned at the scene within the room. “Captain Lahar, are you sleeping on the job? That’s no way to get promoted around here, if you ask me,” he commented.

Lahar rolled over, jumping up and alert in an instant. His gaze found the newcomer first, his eyes widening. “I’m sorry, I did not expect you so soon. You must be Doranbolt, correct?” he questioned.

The man nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. “That would be me. It looks like we’ve got our work cut out for us, based on the info I was given. Still, cracking this case open could be the key to rising up once more…so I volunteered to help,” he insisted. “Still, I don’t get why we’re relying on criminals to track this guild down. Surely, the Council has other resources to use to find them.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, Natsu turned to face his body towards Doranbolt as well. “Oh yeah? Can any of those resources track a person by their scent even after they’ve been gone for a week? Smells fade away over time, and no one has a nose as good as mine,”

Blinking at him, Doranbolt’s eyes widened. “Scent? So, they weren’t kidding about your power. Either way, so long as we find our target, I guess I can’t complain.”

Lahar moved towards the desk Natsu was at, grabbing his glasses off of the corner. He paused for a moment, gazing down at the desk before shaking his head with a sigh. “Please, try to stay out of trouble, Natsu. I would not want to have to arrest you again when this is done with,” he commented. “As for the mission, I was informed you were simply helping us to remain in contact. You possess telepathy to some degree, correct?”

Doranbolt grinned, looking confident in his skill. “Of course, I can do much more than that too. I didn’t become a captain for nothing, Lahar. I’m going to be on the front lines with both of you, that much is not up for debate,” he insisted. Hearing that, Natsu decided he actually kind of liked this guy better. He understood how to show others his strength with just his words, something Natsu struggled with at times. Plus, he had just insisted Natsu would be fighting, so that thought alone was enough to make the dragon slayer grin eagerly.

“Sounds like a plan,” Natsu stated, catching their attention. “Alright, just direct me to where they were last seen. I’ll find these wizards for ya, and I’ll help take them down too.”

“No, we must first work out a more solidified plan.” Lahar insisted, placing his hand on the desk next to Natsu. He frowned, gazing down at the paper on the surface for a moment. He lifted the book, searching underneath it for something. Blinking, Natsu leaned over and picked up the sheet off of the floor, handing it to the man who frowned and closed his eyes, looking mildly irritated with Natsu. “Fairy Tail consists of many wizards, most of which are quite powerful and will be difficult to face, should they choose to fight.”

Doranbolt nodded, his expression turning serious as well. “Yeah, I knew that much. They can’t destroy that much of a city unless they’ve got some power backing them up,” he commented.

Nodding, Lahar continued on. “The most concerning fact is the one member we have yet to identify, the mysterious leader of the guild. We know nothing of their power or their magic, so it will prove to be quite a challenge should we encounter this wizard. The second most prominent issue lies with Makarov Dreyar, one of the ten wizard saints,” he explained. “With his titan magic, few can claim to be capable of besting him in battle, even with his age.”

Frowning, Doranbolt joined them by the desk. “Right, I had forgotten that he was a member of Fairy Tail. Still, your magic should be able to contain him, right?” he questioned.

Bored, Natsu leaned forward and rested his cheek against his palm. “Perhaps, if I set up a proper trap. My magic takes time to work; enchantments are a delicate work to put into place,” he explained. “Continuing on, should I manage to capture Makarov, there are then the S-class wizards of Fairy Tail. Laxus, Makarov’s son, is known to use some form of lightning magic. Plenty of the rune knights are skilled at dealing with elemental wizards, so I see little concern from him, despite his proclaimed strength.”

“Don’t underestimate your enemy, Lahar,” Doranbolt warned. “We are talking about wizards who don’t even have enough respect to preserve their home. If they want to, there’s no doubt that they’d slaughter us in an instant if we hold back.”

“So…does this mean I’m fighting too?” Natsu asked, interrupting them.

Both captains blinked at him for a moment, sharing a look. Doranbolt shrugged, placing a hand on his hip. “I don’t see why not. You’ve got some skill with magic, even if you do destroy everything in the process of attacking.” he commented.

“Out of the question!” Lahar stated in argument. “I will not be responsible for further damage to our society because of a rogue wizard. Natsu Dragneel has repeatedly shown a lack of control. In fact, he is almost as troublesome as Fairy Tail itself was, with all of the problems he’s caused.”

Raising an eyebrow, Doranbolt focused back on Lahar. “Then how do you plan on dealing with these Fairy Tail wizards? Rune knights may be capable of stopping most of them, but once you face someone like Titania, you’ll need someone with skill in battle,” he argued. Patting a hand on Natsu’s shoulder, Doranbolt slowly began to grin. “We’ve got a disposable volunteer right here, don’t we? He’s a criminal, and while I don’t want things to take such a dark turn, if he dies while fighting, it was his own choice to help.”

Silently observing them for a few moments, Lahar frowned. Natsu scowled at Doranbolt’s comment about dying, but he supposed it wasn’t impossible in this battle. He hoped he wouldn’t have to take things that far, though. Wizards weren’t meant to kill others. Magic was supposed to help people and bring them together. His fire kept him warm, and while it was destructive, he loved the power he wielded when it allowed him to protect the few friends he encountered during his travels.

Waving his hand in the air, Lahar seemed to cave in to them. “Very well, but do not blame me when he destroys everything around us as a result.” 

“Hey, I’m not that bad!” Natsu insisted, thinking back to his last few jobs. It was hard to get them, but after enough searching, he’d find people willing to go around the usual channels to hire a wizard. “Last time, I only destroyed a few boats! Oh, and the time before that, it was just a single building.”

The squad captain seemed to look at Natsu as if this only helped his argument. Doranbolt laughed at their debate, making Natsu turn towards him instead. “Alright, looks like we’ve got our team together then. So, our priority is capturing their master. From that point on, look for the S-class wizards and disarm them as quickly as possible. All others will be dealt with by the rest of our squad. Does that sound like enough of a plan for you, Captain?” Doranbolt stated.

Nodding, Lahar moved to leave the room. “It will suffice for now. Let’s be off, I do not want to waste any more of our time. We will find the remains of their original guild hall in Magnolia. Natsu, from there you will track down where they have gone in their attempts to flee from justice,” he insisted.

Natsu jumped to his feet, grinning widely as he followed after them. Finally, he was getting away from this place. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have to come back again. These two rune knights seemed to have a bit more authority than others, so as long as he was careful, he would be free once more to go searching for Igneel. One day, he would find his father again, and when he did, he’d show everyone that he wasn’t lying when he claimed he was raised by a dragon.


	7. A Painful Reminder

It had been Zeref’s intention to wait at Oshibana Station for the others. That, however, changed quite quickly. “Attention all passengers, due to an attack by wizards in Oshibana, our originally scheduled route will now be delayed. Do not be alarmed, we are returning to Magnolia for your safety. We will make sure all of you receive transport to Oshibana once law enforcement officials deem it safe for travel once more.”

The declaration came over the speakers in the train car. Closing his eyes, Zeref sighed and leaned back in his seat. So many issues were coming up quickly, he really did not know what to do next. Fairy Tail needed to get to Oshibana quickly, with the rune knights all gathering in Magnolia. At the very least, they needed to leave their former home. So long as they were not caught by the council’s officials, they would manage to move on.

The train lurched slightly, as it began to travel in reverse towards their original city. Other travelers seemed unaffected by the news. A few had mild looks of exhaustion or irritation, but no one appeared to be overly outraged by the alteration. With its proximity to Eisenwald, it was actually quite common for Oshibana to be avoided on routes such as this. Attacks from dark wizards happened often, and with that came a danger to the public. Law enforcement was skilled at avoiding bringing more people into the mix, but it also led to scenarios like this that troubled Zeref.

Rising to his feet, Zeref wondered if he should try and continue on foot. He could stop this attack on his own. His power was more than sufficient to handle a few small dark wizards. The train would continue on as normal afterwords, with the attack on Oshibana halted. 

He moved towards the exit of the train, before pausing for a moment. This would actually be a huge risk, considering all of the attention he was getting at the moment. Any use of his magic could lead to detection, especially with how well-known his power was. It did not matter if it was a dark guild that recognized it or the Council, the result would be the same. People would hunt them down and destroy the guild he was leading, something he could not allow until Mavis had retuned to her rightful place as their leader.

Sighing, Zeref stepped back and returned to his seat in the corner. People watched him as he walked through the aisle, whispering about what he had just been about to do. “Does he live in Oshibana?” he heard on woman asked quietly.

“That has to be hard, hearing your home is under attack like that. Poor guy, no wonder he thought about jumping,” another replied.

Ignoring them, Zeref scowled and made his way through. When he sat back down, he noticed that another had taken the seat by the window in the corner he had once claimed as his own. Turning towards his companion, Zeref noted that it was a woman with blond hair. She was dressed in a white and blue heart creuz shirt, with a blue skirt held up by a brown belt.

Glancing towards him, the girl smiled and held her hand out for him to shake. “Hey there, I’m Lucy. I saw what you were trying to do earlier, so I thought I’d try and cheer you up,” she stated brightly.

Zeref avoided her hand, placing his own hands in his lap instead. “There is no need to do such things. No one can end my suffering, I have carried it with me for many years.”

The girl seemed to pause, her smile fading slightly. “Right…well, I guess I can’t blame you for worrying,” she commented. “I went to Magnolia to try and join Fairy Tail…but when I got there, everything was in chaos. Apparently, the entire guild hall was destroyed.”

Unsure of what to say, Zeref only nodded mutely. The girl seemed quite talkative on her own regardless, and listening to her ramblings was at least a way to pass the time. “Even though I didn’t know any of the wizards in the guild…I worried that they may have been hurt. No one deserves to die like that, especially not after your home is destroyed so completely. People are saying that Fairy Tail did it to themselves, but I just can’t see that. They are an amazing guild, their wizards are the greatest in all of Fiore!”

Turning his head towards her, Zeref tilted his head slightly. “I do not think I would go that far, considering most of the ten wizard saints are not members.”

“Wait, are you a wizard too?” Lucy stated, her eyes wide. “I didn’t even realize it! I’m one too, or at least, I want to be. I haven’t joined a guild or anything, because it was always my dream to be a member of Fairy Tail,” she rambled, looking bright and excited for her future. “Now, though, I don’t even know where to go to find the guild.”

Zeref was relieved that his robes covered the black guild mark placed on his chest. Otherwise, he would have far more challenging questions to deal with. “Plenty of guilds would value gaining a new member, Lucy. Do not worry over something as small as not locating Fairy Tail, when there are others around to aid you.”

“You know, you sound kind of wise, for a guy so young. It’s kind of like an old man speaking to me, to be honest,” she stated with a smile. “Still, I think I’m going to hold back for now. I’ve come this far on my own…I’m not going to stop until I’ve joined them.”

There was something about her that would be interesting to see as a member, Zeref noted. He knew little about her, though, and he could not place his trust in a girl that seemed so innocent about the world around her. “I suppose I cannot stop you,” he mused quietly.

“So, what kind of magic do you use?” Lucy questioned, making Zeref stiffen slightly. “I’m a celestial wizard. Not to brag our anything, but I’ve already gotten three of the gold keys. Those are super rare, there are only twelve in existence! I’ve also got some silver keys as well, but it’s the gold keys that really show how powerful a celestial wizard is.”

Blinking a few times, Zeref glanced back towards the girl by his side. With her brown eyes and blond hair, he should have realized who she was sooner. “Heartfilia…” he whispered under his breath. The girl frowned, leaning forward.

“What? I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that,” she replied.

Shaking his head, Zeref focused on the back of the seat in front of him. “Nothing important,” he replied. “As for my magic…it is best if you do not learn of it. I’ve only ever encountered one who can properly identify what it is, and they’ve long since passed away.”

Lucy’s smile vanished, looking worried as she stared at Zeref. “That’s awful. I’m sorry to hear…is that why you wanted to jump? I mean…it’s not really my business, but you seemed so focused on rushing out of a moving train earlier…” she mumbled. She had one arm stretched across her body, gripping her other arm tightly. Her head was dropped slightly, with a small grimace on her face.

“No, I was considering another possibility. I had thought that I may be capable of stopping the wizards at Oshibana, but then I realized the risks of leaving at a time such as this,” he explained.

Blinking, the girl sat up straighter with a look of surprise. Slowly, that melted away and her face warmed once more, laughter filling the train. “You wanted to jump…so you could go fight other wizards? Man, you’re insane!” she stated between her fits of laughter. “Still, I’m glad you realized soon enough that jumping out of a train would kill you. I don’t think the other people here would take seeing something like that very well.”

It was quite true, Zeref noted. Few would be capable of believing he could survive such an event. “Perhaps. Death is an endless part of life. All living things find their end, it is simply something we must grow to accept.” 

That was Zeref’s own philosophy, in a way. If he accepted that all things died, his guilt over killing others was lessened. After all, he had only brought about their inevitable end, simply a bit sooner than nature had planned. Keeping that in mind, he would mourn for a brief moment before moving on with his life, wishing to find peace and an end to his curse. “That’s kind of dark, don’t you think?” Lucy stated, shaking her head. “I mean, it’s true…but that’s not how I like to think of things. Even if all things die, we all have a right to live our lives to the fullest, don’t we? It is better to enjoy what you have before it’s gone, that’s how I like to think.”

Closing his eyes, Zeref felt his magic throb painfully within him. He had fled the station before to avoid this, but it appeared as if it was not enough. “Please, do not attempt to convince me of such things,” he begged. He touched his hair, closing his eyes as he attempted to think of how life mattered little in the end. Continuing on was pointless, considering he was constantly rejected by everything around him. This girl did not know him, and if she did, she would run away in fear.

Lifting his head, Zeref felt the throbbing halt, for now. The death predation would not be stopped for long, he knew that for sure. When he returned to Magnolia, he would need to find a quiet place to hide once more, while his magic consumed him. “I am not like others, Lucy Heartfilia. It is best if I simply forget…but at the same time, forgetting will awaken the true monster. Sometimes, I wonder which would be best…remembering or forgetting. It is simply a matter of opinion in the end, for the result is still the same regardless of how I feel.”

This time, he had thoroughly disturbed the girl. She leaned away from him, biting her lip nervously as she observed Zeref. “Uh…right…look, I don’t get what your history is. In fact, you never even told me your name. Who are you? How did you know my last name?”

Shaking his head, Zeref hunched back over in his seat. Tears were falling down his cheeks, afraid of what he truly was becoming. “Please…just leave me be,” he begged. “Stay away, and don’t look for me again.”

“No, I’m not leaving until I’ve helped you,” Lucy insisted. “I may not know you, but I do see kindness in your heart. Whatever pain you’re in, I want to help ease it in some way. I know what it’s like to lose someone close to you, and I don’t want to just abandon someone who needs help.”

Desperate, Zeref began to cling to the one method he knew would get her to leave. “If…if I tell you more recent news of Fairy Tail, will you leave me be?”

The girl froze, her eyes wide. “Wait…you know about the guild? How do you know what happened to them?” she questioned.

Rubbing his forehead, Zeref continued gazing at the floor. “I…I know a few of their members,” he replied.

Stars seemed to form in her eyes as she clapped her hands together. “That’s totally amazing! I never even realized I was talking to someone so close to such a great guild,” she stated eagerly. “You have yourself a deal, mister. Tell me all you know about Fairy Tail, and in return, I will leave you to your misery.”

Smiling, Zeref let out a breath of relief. “Fairy Tail is no longer an official guild,” he stated softly. “They intend to become a dark guild, since the Council is threatening to disband them. I cannot reveal anything further, but I suppose now you understand why it would be best to seek employment elsewhere.”

The girl was staring at him with wide eyes, her smile gone from sight. She had gasped, her hand covering her mouth as she shook her head slowly. “No…that can’t be. Fairy Tail…the greatest guild in all of Fiore…is becoming a dark guild? What…what about my dream? What will I do now?”

Ignoring her, Zeref remained silent and kept his eyes closed. He hoped she would learn to do the same soon. The train ride was likely nearing its end, since they were returning to Magnolia. He just hoped there would not be any more complications back there. From Magnolia, he would have to locate a different train to take, one that went anywhere away from town. So long as it put some distance between his wizards and the rune knights, it would not matter in the end.

The celestial wizard stayed in her seat, leaning against the back as she seemed to attempt to reason with the information she had been given. Zeref did not care if she believed him or not, not at this point. He felt the train lurch, the speed falling and coming to a halt as they arrived back in Magnolia. He rose to his feet in an instant, not even waiting for the driver of the train to announce their arrival. He pushed passed everyone towards the exit, running out of the car. His head was throbbing, and his magic was nearing its limits in terms of control.

Feeling it coming, Zeref ran. He shoved his way passed those in the station, getting complaints and shouts from anyone he pushed away. It was easy to ignore them, with the sensation of heat building in his arms and legs. When he neared the exit, Zeref decided running was not fast enough. He utilized his own magic, not even seeing the girl staring after him with deep brown eyes. He teleported away, returning to the alley he had found earlier to unleash his magic. As darkness surrounded his body in a black cloud, Zeref fell to the ground, clutching his head tightly. Why did everyone push him to such lengths? Even complete strangers reminded him of how valuable life could be, and when they did so, more death followed in his wake.


	8. Tracking Death

Feeling disoriented, Natsu glanced around at his surroundings. Doranbolt’s magic included teleportation, he had learned, and as a result, the three of them spent the day teleporting from Era to Magnolia. It was far better than a train, he had to admit, but it felt odd to do. Since his magic power had limits, Doranbolt couldn’t take them straight to Magnolia, but with three uses of his magic, they had arrived. 

The city was still fairly popular, it seemed. Cardia Cathedral was centered in the town, with stores and restaurants surrounding it in the streets. Homes were scattered throughout, some owned and others rented out to others. Apartment buildings lined the canal built in town, and currently, most of the citizens seemed to be calming down. People were returning to their normal business, though many often began whispering when they passed by the rune knights gathered in the streets.

Natsu thought he had been here before for some job, but he couldn’t quite remember when or what he had been doing. They were standing by some destroyed building, and it made him wonder if he had been here more recently than he thought. “Here we are. Magnolia, at the former site of Fairy Tail,” Doranbolt declared.

That made more sense, Natsu decided. Turning towards the rubble, he inhaled deeply. The air was fresh, and filled with the scents of tons of people. It would help if he knew exactly which ones belonged to Fairy Tail wizards, but he didn’t have a lot to work with. “Good work. Now, it is simply a matter of tracking them down. Natsu, can you find them?” Lahar questioned.

Still sniffing the air, Natsu continued trying to pick out anything distinguishing amongst the scents in the air. He stepped closer to the building, hoping that something in there would direct him on where to go. As he grew closer, something slowly began to stand out. It made him wrinkle his nose at first, reminding him of the times he wandered across a dead animal in the forest. Somehow, it wasn’t quite as revolting as that, though. It was more like the hint of a storm, mixed in with the scent of death almost hiding a floral undertone. Unsure if that floral scent truly was present, Natsu closed his eyes and focused even further on what he was smelling. It was quite hidden, so hidden Natsu couldn’t identify exactly what flower it smelled like, especially when the other scents washed over it almost completely. The scent was so strange that everything else seemed to become a secondary focus to him as he inhaled sharply, trying to figure out just what it was he was smelling.

“I don’t think he heard you, Captain,” Doranbolt commented, observing Natsu from behind the boy. “He’s found something, though. I didn’t think he’d be quite so invested in—“ he began, before a rune knight came rushing up towards them.

“Captain, you’ve returned!” he stated, giving Lahar a slight bow. “I am Joshua of your unit, sir, and we’ve been waiting for your return.”

Turning towards his subordinate, Lahar grew interested. Natsu’s attention was broken by the noise, making him blink his eyes open and turn to stare at them for a moment. “What have you found? Did anyone see a member of Fairy Tail in town?” Lahar demanded.

The knight shook his head, dropping his gaze. “No sir, but we did find something else. A local store, quite isolated compared to the rest of town, has reported that their cashier collapsed without warning. After further investigation, we’ve determined that the man had died from magical causes, though the exact spell could not be detected. In addition, dark wizards in Oshibana have taken over the local train station. If we need to travel to locate the rouge wizards of Fairy Tail, we will need to bypass that route.”

The captain seemed stressed to hear this news, but Natsu was impatient and done listening already. He sniffed the air again, detecting the scent he had found earlier in an instant. “You guys figure that stuff out, I’m heading into town. After all, I’ve gotta figure out which scent I’m tracking. I’ll be back when I’ve figured out where they’re headed,” he declared, waving towards them and rushing off.

“Natsu, wait—“ Lahar began, but he was already gone. He didn’t turn back to see the captain close his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as he returned to discuss matters with his subordinate. Natsu had a trail to track, and right now, he was being drawn towards the source of this smell. As odd as it was, he felt a need to know just what had created such a scent.

He ran into someone walking down the street, making him fall onto the ground and glance up at a woman blinking in surprise. “Sorry, I’ve gotta go,” he told her, getting right back up and pushing passed her. The girl’s eyes were wide as her brown hair fluttered in the breeze. 

Natsu’s own pink hair was being pushed back by the wind and his speed. He could feel it cooling his body to some extent, even as the exercise left him warmer than usual. He turned down another street, closing his eyes again and smelling the air. It was getting stronger, and that was a sign that he was getting closer to the source.

As he grew closer, more people seemed to have gathered. A small crowd was forming outside of a building in the corner of town, isolated on one side of a creepy looking alley. Natsu saw them panicking, a few of their voices louder than others. “Is he dead?” one questioned.

Another seemed to reply. “How did this happen? He was fine just a moment ago.”

“What about her? She’s dead too! Wasn’t she one of the rune knights investigating the death of the cashier?”

“That’s who you’re worried about? Take a look at the shop owner! He was in to fill in for his lost employee, and now…”

The voices began to blend in together, and Natsu tuned them out. Instead, he did his best to quietly slip behind the crowd, ducking into the alley near the store. He watched the people closely, and the smell of death lingered in the air. It was faint, since their deaths were recent, but soon the decay would start and then the rancid scent would grow stronger. Shaking his head, Natsu turned away and began to wonder just what was going on in this town. Fairy Tail wasn’t strong enough to do something like this, he thought. Killing others with magic typically left some form of injury on their body. They didn’t just collapse and die in an instant.

Distracted, Natsu no longer focused on the scent that had driven him to this place. He was curious about what power was causing all of these deaths. It wasn’t right to go around killing people like this, that much he was sure of. He had to do something to stop it, but he just didn’t know what to do. He wasn’t good at the technical side of magic, and in order to identify the spell used, he would have had to know a lot about different styles of magic. 

Taking a seat in the alley, Natsu almost didn’t notice the boy already present within. His black eyes were locked on Natsu, wide and filled with moisture from unshed tears. Still, more tears were on the boy’s cheeks, leaving trails on them and wet spots on the white sash covering his black robe. Watching him, Natsu wondered why he was crying, until the boy seemed to try and move backward into the building he was leaning against, putting the tiniest amount of distance between himself and Natsu. 

Watching the boy, Natsu saw his hands raise in front of him almost defensively. “No, please, stay away. It’s…dangerous, to be here right now,” the boy begged.

Frowning, Natsu observed him for a few moments. With the deaths nearby and the boy’s actions, he almost would have thought this teenager was the person responsible for them. Sniffing the air, Natsu’s eyes widened even further as he recognized the smell from before. It wasn’t a thing he had been tracking down, but an actual person with that scent. He didn’t quite understand it, how someone could smell like life and death at the same time. Still, he didn’t question it as he leaned closer to the black haired boy, who seemed to try and make himself smaller in response.

Eyeing the other wizard, Natsu slowly began to grin. “Found you! Ha, I told them tracking people down would be easy.” he insisted proudly, leaning back and sitting on the ground. “So, do you know what’s going on over there? I heard something about people dying for no reason in the shop you’re leaning against.”

The other boy avoided his gaze, turning his head towards the end of the alley. “I did not realize there were people in these buildings…I had thought it would be safer…” he whispered. More tears began to fall, his shoulders shaking slightly. Natsu watched as the boy turned his gaze towards his lap, staring at his palms that rested there, facing the sky. “My mistakes…they always do this. I killed them, because I wished to save them.”

Natsu knew he should turn this boy in, but something stopped him. The pain in the boy’s voice wasn’t something he could fake, not easily at least. This wizard truly meant his words, regardless of how confusing they were. “That doesn’t make much sense, you know.” Natsu commented, shaking his head. “You didn’t want to kill them, though, so I guess I can’t be mad at you.”

Startled, the boy lifted his gaze towards Natsu. “What?” he stated, as if in disbelief. “You don’t…you aren’t afraid of me?”

Glaring at him, Natsu leaned forward towards the wizard. “Why would I do that? I’ve got my own powerful magic, I could beat you anytime.” he insisted confidently. The other boy only smiled, as if mildly amused by Natsu’s words. “Besides…you look like you’re all alone out here. That’s something no one deserves to be. If you’re looking for somebody, I could help you find them.”

His offer was not meant to use up too much time, but he had no choice. This guy was odd, but Natsu had found him and now the dragon slayer knew this wizard needed help. The rune knights would arrest him, not even bothering to find out that the entire thing was a big mistake. Sure, it had gone horribly wrong, but as long as the guy learned from it, Natsu saw no reason to imprison him for his actions.

“I…no, I do not think that would be wise.” he stated quietly. “You claimed you were already searching for me before, didn’t you? Why did you wish to find me?”

There was an exhaustion in his tone, as if the boy expected people to randomly go out searching for him. Frowning, Natsu only shrugged and leaned back. “‘Cus' you smell funny. Those other two wanted me to track down some guild…but you smelled far more interesting than anything else over at that place.” he commented, sniffing the air. “Why is that, anyway?”

The black haired boy stared at Natsu, a slight frown on his face as his brows drew closer together. “I…smell odd to you? How were you able to smell me from…oh, now I see.” A small smile formed on his face as he studied Natsu, looking almost relieved to see the boy. “A dragon slayer. I had wondered when I’d find one of you around, it has been quite some time.”

Unsure of what he meant by that, Natsu scowled. “Hey, I’m not that old! You can’t possibly be more than a year older than me, at most. I mean, come on, I’m taller than you to say the least, plus, I’ve got far more control over my magic than you do. All my mistakes caused a few damaged buildings, it never lashed out against people.” Natsu paused for a moment, thinking about it further. “At least, I don’t think it ever hurt people.”

“I am older than you, that much I am certain of.” the boy stated calmly, though his light smile remained. “As for hurting others…I question your sanity, if you cannot determine if you have or have not caused the deaths of others.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, Natsu scoffed. “Yeah? I’d like to see you keep track of people while a building collapses around you. Or while destroying a few boats in the harbor. Or while derailing a train….damn, how many things have I destroyed?” he questioned, thinking back.

“I can say little for the boat or train, however, keeping track of others during the collapse of a building is quite interesting, I will admit.” he commented. “Believe it or not, I too have some experience in destruction.”

“Finally, someone who understands! Does the Council always bug you about it too? I’ve been arrested like…five times now, for destruction of property,” he commented. It may have been more arrests than that, but he lost count after so many times.

The other boy raised an eyebrow at that, but made little comment. He seemed calmer now, his tears now dried as he spoke. “While the Council does give me issue, it is not for that reason,” he stated, not elaborating any further.

Shrugging, Natsu moved on, relaxing as they continued speaking. “Yeah, well I got lucky this time. Some guy, Lahar I think, gave me a deal. He said I’d go free this time if I tracked some wizards down for him. Seemed like an easy job, so I got myself out.”

Stiffening, the other boy locked his gaze on Natsu. “You’re…working with them?” he questioned softly, before his hands began to shake. “I should have known…to think, someone who may have grown to relate to me ended up becoming…” he trailed off, growing distant as he gazed towards the crowd at the edge of the alley. It had expanded, and now; bodies were seen everywhere by the place Natsu had once entered from. Their shouts were louder, masking the conversation between Natsu and the strange boy.

“Hey, don’t worry about it, alright?” Natsu stated, rising to his feet and holding a hand out towards the boy. “I told ya before, I’m not going to hate you for a mistake. My job isn’t to turn in every wizard I come across, just the specific ones they’re looking for.”

The black haired boy seemed to hesitate, before reaching upward and taking Natsu’s hand. “I see. Thank you, I suppose, for concealing me from others. I have not met many wizards willing to help me, after seeing what my magic does to the world.”

Glancing towards the crowd, Natsu nodded. “That’s their problem. Honestly, people don’t even bother listening to both sides of the story with things like this. Just like with me, they never listen. That’s why I’m offering to help you out. I offered before, and now, I’ll offer again. Do you want me to help you get somewhere, or do you think you’re good for now?”

This time, the boy seemed to contemplate his offer further. He hesitated, standing by Natsu’s side before tilting his head slightly. “Perhaps…are you skilled in terms of battle? Most dragon slayers are, however, there should be at least one who works better with others, if my memory is correct.”

Smirking, Natsu draped an arm over the boy’s shoulders. “Now you’re talking! Come on, I’m tired of this place already. Lahar is busy dealing with some report, and I’ve got better things to do,” he insisted.

Startled, the boy began following after Natsu. “I…I did not even tell you who you would be fighting,” he stated, almost absently.

“Who cares? I’ll fight anyone right now, I’m getting bored just standing around doing nothing,” he insisted. 

With a small smile, the black haired boy nodded and stepped away from Natsu’s grip. “Very well, then I do have a mission for you, if you are still willing to work with me that is,” he stated quietly.

Grinning, Natsu walked by his side and began to push his way through the crowd. People were too focused on figuring out what had happened to the people in the shop to be concerned about them. They blended in quite easily, though Natsu’s pink hair did stand out at times. When they were away from the noise, Natsu turned back towards the boy. “Sure I am! After all, we’re friends now, right? I’m Natsu Dragneel, it’s nice to meet you.”

Keeping his distance, the other boy seemed to hesitate. “I…I am sorry, I cannot reveal my real name to you.” he commented. “It…I do not trust others easily, Natsu.”

Shrugging, Natsu continued moving through the streets. “So? Just give me something to call you, I don’t really care what it is. After all, the more time we spend together, the more you’ll trust me, right?” he insisted.

It was strange logic, but it seemed to work for the boy. He nodded, taking the lead on their path out of Magnolia. “Call me August, August Yura. It was the name I utilized during my interrogation earlier, so I suppose it is only fitting for me to keep it for now.”

“Alright then, August. Where are we going now? I’m ready to fight, and I don’t care who it is I’m going after!” he insisted eagerly.

“Oshibana Station.” August replied, moving into the trees surrounding Magnolia. The trip would be a few hours, Natsu thought. “Do not worry, I will not place you in a train. I am well aware of dragon slayers and their motion sickness. However, dark wizards have taken control over the town, and I seek to travel there with my companions soon. I need to free it from their control, in order to allow trains to enter the city once more.”

With a plan of action in mind that Natsu could agree on, he moved on towards the next town. August was a strange guy, but he was good company in a way. Despite the creepy magic he claimed to have used, Natsu wasn’t afraid of him. He had the right idea in mind, and so long as that was true, Natsu would follow him on his mission.


	9. A Need for Isolation

Zeref did not know why he had asked for help in this task. All he knew was that this boy was a dragon slayer, one of the few sent through time to protect the world from its greatest threat. He was interested to see the power of such a wizard, at the very least. After the war with dragons ended, magic seemed to grow weaker for a period of time. There were no threats pushing them to grow stronger, and people became relaxed in the time of peace.

Now, he was traveling with someone possessing an ancient style of magic within them, not all that different from himself. It felt strange, being near someone who had seen the truth that wasn’t a part of the guild. Natsu should have left long ago, especially with his affiliation with the rune knights. Even so, the dragon slayer remained insistent on staying, wanting to help Zeref deal with his own problems first.

The trip to Oshibana was nearly three hours away on foot. Natsu had looked rather content with walking, but now, Zeref could see a small frown on his face. “Is something wrong, Natsu?” he questioned.

The dragon slayer shook his head, taking another step to keep up with Zeref. “I was just thinking about those people back in town. I mean, I get that you said you killed them, but just what kind of magic was that in the first place?”

Most people had the same question, Zeref noted. His magic was unusual and rare, a curse from a god that rarely intervened in their world. “It was black magic. Of what kind, I do not wish to explain,” he stated quietly.

The dragon slayer looked interested, rather than terrified like most people. “Black magic? Isn’t that stuff illegal?”

Nodding, Zeref pushed aside a tree branch that was leaning over onto the path he was taking. After spending years isolating himself in the forests of Magnolia, he knew them quite well. Traveling to another town through them was simple enough. He felt far more comfortable out here than he did in a train, after all. “Indeed, and for good reason. Much of my time has been spent delving into dark magic…if I had left it alone long ago, things would have turned out quite differently, I’d imagine.”

“So, is black magic just hard to control or something?” Natsu questioned, scratching his head. “I don’t quite get how you could mess up and kill by accident, at least, not on such a large scale.”

Zeref disliked thinking about his past, but for some reason, Natsu’s tone didn’t upset him. It was as if the boy was simply oblivious to the fact that words could cause harm; that characteristic of Natsu’s speech left him feeling like Natsu was not one to be deceptive in any way. “That aspect of my magic is a bit more difficult to explain,” he commented quietly.

The dragon slayer seemed to be waiting for an answer, so Zeref sighed and glanced around him. He didn’t typically reveal his magic to anyone, at least, not intentionally. This was the first time he found himself wanting to show anyone what it did, if only to show Natsu the dangers of traveling with him. Stopping for a moment, Zeref lifted his hand into the air. A black orb began to materialize in his palm, filled with death magic.

Turning towards a nearby tree, Zeref guided the orb towards its trunk. He did not give it any force, not wanting to destroy anything, but the magic itself had a will of its own. As soon as the dark orb touched the tree, leaves began to fall away, wilting and decaying into nothing in the air. The trunk withered and began to take on a lifeless quality, now the only dead tree in a sea of living nature. 

Natsu watched with wide eyes, stepping closer to the tree and pressing his palm to its trunk. “I do have some control over it, if I do not value the lives of the things around me. The more I value life…the more I focus on how it matters, the more I am forced to take it away. It is not my wish to do so, but I cannot control it,” Zeref stated quietly. “This magic…it is a curse, given to me long ago for meddling in things that were better left alone.”

“A curse, huh?” Natsu mused, shaking his head. “What kind of twisted bastard gave you a curse like that? It’s just wrong to force someone to kill others, and plus, doesn’t it kind of seem like the person who cursed you is responsible for all the death in the end?”

Turning his head towards Natsu, Zeref couldn’t help but feel his own eyes widen. Few people even attempted to rationalize the death he caused in the world. He always blamed himself for it, and never once had he considered blaming Ankhseram. It was his own magic killing after all, and it was his own actions that brought the curse upon himself. “I’ve never thought of it that way. I’ve only ever blamed myself, for being careless and surrounding myself with others.”

Glancing towards the ground, Zeref realized Natsu may not understand just what he meant by that. “I made a promise to someone, long ago. As a result, I have no choice but to be surrounded with others on a daily basis. So long as they are nothing more than pawns in my eyes, they are safe, but it is always a struggle to keep that mindset,” he explained.

Snorting, Natsu shook his head. “That’s a twisted way to think, if you ask me. If you think like that, you’ll never make any friends, August.” Zeref frowned, before remembering he had given Natsu that as his name earlier. “Just relax, I’m sure things will be just fine. Who cares if you’re cursed? We just have to find a way to get rid of it.”

“We?” Zeref questioned, feeling fear lodge in his chest. The last person who offered to help end his curse was now trapped forever, cursed even worse than he was.

Natsu nodded, grinning over at him. “Sure, once I’ve finished this job for the Council, I’ll find you again. Then, we’ll go track down the wizard that cursed you and force him to take it back,” he insisted.

Picking up his pace, Zeref shook his head and let his expression harden. “No, I will not allow it,” he stated darkly. “Others have tried to aid me in the past, Natsu. All of them found themselves suffering as a result. I cannot have friends, nor can I create a family of my own. The most I can hope for is a peaceful place to die one day, and even that may be too much.”

“Since when are you the boss of me?” the boy demanded, making Zeref scowl even further. “If I want to track you down and follow you around, that’s my choice. I told ya before, we’re friends now. Even if you want to deny it, August, I’m going to stick by your side and help you out as much as I can.”

He needed to dissuade Natsu in some form, Zeref realized. Glancing at the boy, Zeref sighed and closed his eyes. “I see. Then perhaps you should simply bring me to Lahar now, rather than later. It would save us both some trouble, in the end,” he stated calmly.

Glaring at him, Natsu seemed to get even more aggravated. “Oi, stop that already! How many times do I have to say it? I’m not going to turn you in. Friends don’t betray each other like that, understood?”

“You do not understand,” Zeref stated quietly. “I am not saying to turn me in for what occurred at that shop in Magnolia. I am saying you should turn me in…for I am likely one of the wizards you are searching for.”

With wide eyes, Natsu took a step closer towards Zeref. His arms were crossed over his chest, and Zeref spotted a few flickers of fire by his feet on the forest floor. “So, you’re a member of Fairy Tail, huh? Well, I guess that changes things a bit…” he began darkly. Already prepared, Zeref was expecting the boy to attack. Instead, the dragon slayer got inches away from his face, leaning in close to Zeref so that his breath fanned across Zeref’s nose. It smelled like smoke and ash, reminding Zeref of the day fire dragons burned down his home. 

The memory was gone in an instant, leaving him facing only an angry dragon slayer. “Where the hell is Lisanna Strauss? I’ve got a few questions for her. Oh, and Happy too! They both have a few things to explain to me,” he insisted.

“Lisanna?” Zeref stated, frowning in confusion. “I thought…were you not tasked with locating Fairy Tail’s wizards?”

Leaning back, Natsu nodded. “Sure I was, but I already told you I wouldn’t turn you in. I’d be a terrible friend if I went back on my word now,” The boy rubbed the back of his head, grimacing for a moment before sighing. “Anyway, Lisanna was my friend a long time ago. I want to know why she just abandoned me for a stupid wizard’s guild, without even breathing a word in explanation to me about it.”

Hesitantly moving on, Zeref felt somewhat dazed by the realization. Natsu truly sounded as if he meant his words, but that meant he was going directly against the Council to help him. “I…I did not realize she had other friends,” he commented after a few moments. “Her lack of communication is my own fault. Secrecy is necessary within our guild, for reasons I cannot explain at the moment.”

“Well, I already figured that much out,” Natsu commented, rolling his eyes. “I mean, you’re a wizard that specializes in black magic. It makes sense that you guys have a few other things to hide as well. What I want to know is why Lisanna couldn’t even be bothered to…to say goodbye. She just vanished and left me…”

Anger was tinging his tone as he trailed off. Glancing towards his companion, Zeref could see his hands clenched into fists, with his jaw tightened into a grimace. “It is not my story to tell, at least, not entirely. I imagine it would sound better, coming from her,” he stated after a few moments. “However, I can relate to your pain. I have been alone for quite some time now. Even surrounded by a guild that is as close as family, I have yet to find a single person that truly understands me within that place.”

Glaring at him, Natsu scoffed at his words. “Yeah, but that’s your own choice. Your stupid curse forced you to live like that, but for me it’s different. People just avoid me in general, they say I’m too reckless and destructive.” he commented, glancing at his hands. “I try to help, but most of the time, I get a little bit too invested in battle to pay attention to what my magic is doing to the are around me. The few friends I’ve made over the years after Lisanna left never really stuck around for long.”

It was easy to imagine, considering the boy was a dragon slayer. Back then, the dragons had been given a time limit to train each child before the eclipse. Zeref could see how teaching them restraint was not a high priority, when they would be needed to destroy the most powerful of all the dragon slayers one day. “I see. Still, I do believe that is a far easier fate than my own. While I may not have friends at the moment, there was a time when I cared for someone…”

He trailed off, unsure of why he had even begun to speak of it. A slight ache in his chest made him close his eyes, shaking his head. Mavis was not something he wanted to think about often, not when there was little he could do to help. Glancing at Natsu, Zeref slowly began to get an idea for her. She wasn’t dead, not quite, so perhaps a healer could help. One dragon slayer specialized in that form of magic, he simply had to locate her first.

The dragon slayer with him was still waiting for Zeref to continue on. After a few more moments of silence, Natsu groaned and shook his head. “Come on, don’t just start a story and stop before you even tell it! How am I supposed to compare it to my situation if you don’t tell me what happened?” 

Clearing his thoughts, Zeref stepped over a tree root on the ground. “Sorry. My thoughts tend to get scattered at times, especially when I think about my past,” he explained. “As for my friend…her name was Mavis Vermillion and she never seemed to care about my past, about my true identity. I taught her magic, and gave her the tools necessary to defend her friends. She brought me into her guild as a result, but unfortunately, she had ended up just like me.” 

“Wait, there’s another person walking around with this curse of yours?” Natsu questioned, looking confused. “How has the Council not found either of you? I’ve never even heard rumors of people randomly falling over dead.”

Zeref nodded, avoiding Natsu’s gaze. “I excel at hiding my presence, a skill I’ve learned over many years. As for my friend…she is no longer with us. Even the curse could not save her life from me, and it taught me that regardless of what I may wish, no one can ever truly be my friend.” He knew the dragon slayer would object, so he quickly continued on. “Natsu, while I may value the aid you can provide me with, I am incapable of truly caring for you without ending your life. Make no mistake, we are not friends. If such a thing should ever come to occur, you would never live a moment in peace, without danger from my magic.”

He had not meant to be so harsh, but it was unavoidable. Zeref could not let anyone try to get close to him, not again. This dragon slayer had an interesting personality, and he was willing to look past Zeref’s curse to be his friend. With those qualities, Zeref could see it becoming a reality, and that was what truly left him afraid. Natsu remained silent in response to his words, frowning almost thoughtfully as they continued on. Staring over at the boy, Zeref hoped that this mission would be the end of their interactions. Otherwise, Zeref knew he would lose sight of his distant mindset, and then the world would begin rejecting him with more force than ever before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, for those of you that read/are reading this on fanfiction, I'm not planning on combining my chapters here like I did over there. For purposes of formatting/posting at a quicker pace, I think not combining them will let me get the full story up here faster.


	10. Black Magic

Things were far more concerning in Magnolia than Lahar expected them to be. The rune knight had given his report, handing over notes from the various interrogations going on in town. While he wished to read through them in more depth, another emergency was slowly rising within town. More people had died, and panic was spreading. People were speculating about dark wizards attacking town. Some blamed this mysterious dark guild for the destruction of Fairy Tail, while others were trying to flee in fear. Overall, the streets were tense with people watching as Lahar and Doranbolt made their way through town.

Lahar had hoped to handle things quickly, but his wishes were quickly thwarted. A child ran up to him, tugging on his robes with tears in his eyes. “Mister, you’re one of the rune knights I’ve heard about, right?” the young boy asked. He had dark brown eyes and messy blond hair. 

Glancing around, Lahar tried to locate the child’s parents. He nodded in response to the kid’s question, but this wasn’t his area of work. “Are you going to stop the bad wizards? I heard they’re attacking Magnolia now,” he stated. “I’m afraid…what if they come for me, mister knight? I don’t wanna…I don’t wanna die…”

There was a trembling in his voice, and his grip on Lahar’s robes weakened slightly as his hand shook. Closing his eyes for a moment, Lahar tried to imagine that he was anywhere else at the moment. Doranbolt should have intervened by now, but the other wizard was simply watching with an amused smile. When Lahar opened his eyes once more, he gazed down at the child passively. “Return to your home. I cannot make any promises, but my squad is investigating the wizard responsible for what has been occurring in Magnolia. We will discover the culprit, and they will be brought to justice.”

“C-can I help?” the boy asked hesitantly. He stepped back, wiping at his eyes as he tried to meet Lahar’s gaze. “I wanna be strong, too. One day, I’m going to be a wizard, and then, I’ll help keep bad wizards in line! That’s my dream, it always has been…since I learned that Fairy Tail doesn’t always do good things for others. I heard they hurt people sometimes, though my parents say they don’t mean to.”

Glancing towards his partner for help, Doranbolt finally stepped forward. He knelt down in front of the kid, ruffling his hair with a small smile. “Hold on to that dream, kid. I’m sure it’ll come true one day. For now, why don’t you let us official rune knights deal with the problem? Go on back to your family, I’m sure they’re worried for you,” he insisted.

The child smiled up at Doranbolt, his arms dropping to his sides as he nodded slightly. “Right! If you change your mind, come find me! You guys are awesome!” he shouted, rushing off down the street after waving goodbye.

Glancing towards Lahar, Doranbolt smiled slightly. “You aren’t that good with children, are you?” he commented.

Shaking his head, Lahar focused on finding the location that had been described. Multiple deaths were reported suddenly during his discussion with the rune knight earlier. Something dangerous was going on, and Lahar was beginning to wonder if Fairy Tail had found something dangerous to cover their tracks as they fled town. “Children are not a part of our job. They rarely brake laws, and when they do, it is their parents that are held responsible. In terms of serving the Council, there is no need to interact with them.”

“Whatever you say, Lahar. That kid could be one of us, one day. The least you could do is show him that you enjoy your job,” Doranbolt commented, shaking his head. “Anyway, for now, we’ve got work to do. Based on the reports from your knights before, I’d say we’re dealing with some dangerous magic in this town.”

Lahar nodded in agreement. The original report had simply been to explain the sudden death of an employee at a magic shop in town. Other rune knights had already been sent to investigate the matter further, so Lahar had quickly ignored the news. A single death was a coincidence, and not a major concern unless it was deemed to be the intentional actions of a wizard nearby. Considering the contents of a typical magic shop, it wouldn’t be unreasonable for a defective product to have caused the cashier’s death.

Things had changed, however, when another rune knight came rushing towards them during their meeting by Fairy Tail’s former guild hall. The newcomer, one of the rare females amongst the rune knights, had reported several more deaths. She had been approaching the scene to investigate why no one had been in communication with the other knights from the event. As she went closer, she saw a strange explosion of black magic. Lahar didn’t know what to make of her description of the spell, but he did understand that the results were unforgivable. Everyone caught inside of the black cloud of magic was dead in an instant, including the shop’s owner who had been present to handle the customers and any questions the rune knights had.

With the firmer description of what was going on, Lahar knew that this task was far too risky for the average rune knight to handle. That was why he had taken it upon himself to investigate, while waiting for Natsu to return from his initial scouting mission. “Yes, it is quite troubling. There haven’t been rumors of true black magic in decades, and even fewer reports of a black wizard. Do you think another dark guild gotten their hands on one of Zeref’s creations?” 

From time to time, strange occurrences such as this did occur. Lahar had read the reports of such incidents, when dark guilds went out seeking more power. Often times, it would lead to their own destruction, but in a few cases, they succeeded in finding a black magic spell to utilize. They would terrorize a small area, before the rune knights swept in to deal with the rogue wizards and dispose of the tool created by the legendary black wizard. 

Doranbolt frowned, gently gripping his chin as he thought. “Maybe, though it almost sounds too discrete to be one of them. Most dark wizards with one of Zeref’s spells go wild. If that was the case, I’d expect the entire city to be dead, not just a few locals in the town’s magic shop.” 

It was a valid point, and it made Lahar frown. Dark wizards were easy to deal with, because their actions became predictable. They would set their sights on some form of illegal magic to gain power, attack anyone who got in their way to retrieve it, and ultimately, expose their presence in the process of attempting to utilize that magic. This event, however, did not follow the usual patterns. 

“Then this must be them,” he concluded grimly, gazing towards the crowd in the distance. “Fairy Tail truly has gone dark, and this is their way of covering their escape.”

Shaking his head, Doranbolt dropped his hand and placed it in his pocket. “Once again, this is too small scale for that. If Fairy Tail wanted a distraction, based on their previous ways of handling missions, I’d assume half the town would be destroyed, rather than a small group of business people. Plus, for a legitimate guild going dark, it seems like an extreme move to take. Normal people wouldn’t be able to handle the guilt of killing someone so easily.” His logic was sound, and it left Lahar’s mind running in circles once more.

“Right, I had not considered that. Fairy Tail simply wishes to avoid disbanding…it is unlikely that they will act like a traditional dark guild, at least not yet,” Lahar agreed. Stepping closer, he began to hear the raised voices of people around. They were all focused in front of them, though a few had turned towards each other in arguments over what was going on.

“Dark wizards?” One began.

“Where is the Council in all of this? We deserve their protection from these criminals!” one shouted.

A few people turned towards Lahar and Doranbolt, their anger and fear now rounding against them. “Those two are rune knights!”

“Look at their uniforms…I’d say they’re more than just knights, they’re captains.”

“Tell us what’s going on!” 

“Where is Fairy Tail? Don’t tell me those insane wizards finally turned on the town!”

“Who did all of this? You must stop them, before more of our friends die!”

The panic and swarming people were interfering with his work. Lahar pushed his glasses up his nose, sighing as he pushed past those around him. Doranbolt followed after him, making use of the path Lahar created. “Everyone, remain calm. We will inform you when we have news of the criminal, or criminals, responsible for these acts. The Council has sent us to handle the issue, and we will continue looking into matters until we find a solution.”

Many people did not look satisfied with his response. Most grumbled and glared at him, clearly concerned and wishing for action now. Unfortunately. Lahar couldn’t simply arrest someone for doing no harm. Investigations were key to finding the culprit, and until he could perform it without interference, he would be feeling the wrath of others.

Walking passed two of his knights, Lahar glanced at them over his shoulder. “Make sure the citizens begin to disperse. They’ll only get in the way standing around like this.”

They moved into action with his orders, quickly barring the approaching crowd from getting any closer. A few more knights came for a report, and quickly joined in the efforts of guiding traffic towards the main streets of Magnolia. Meanwhile, Lahar knelt down by the bodies before him. A shop owner and two rune knights lay dead before him, along with another citizen from town. That was five deaths total, all in a matter of hours. 

With gloved hands, he began to pull the shop keeper closer. It was an older man, with graying hair and stubble lining his chin. Wrinkles were on his face, which was frozen in an expression of irritation in death. His blank eyes stared up into the sky as Lahar quickly inspected his body for injury. There was not a single cut or bruise on his skin that could be fatal, though there was a minor paper cut on the side of his index finger.

Doranbolt joined him, pulling one of the bodies of the rune knights towards himself for inspection. “I’m not seeing any injuries.” Lahar commented, frowning. His attention was diverted, however, by a citizen attempting to break free of the rune knights restraining them.

“You monsters! You claim you’ll help us, but you’re just leaving us all to die, aren’t you? I hate all of you council freaks, trying to boss us around while doing nothing to help us when real danger comes near!” the woman was shouting. Behind her, her daughter, just a child, watched with wide eyes, her hair just as black as her mother’s.

Growing irritated, Lahar rose to his feet. In the air, he began to write an enchantment to keep the citizens at bay. Lines seemed to appear from his finger, slowly spreading and surrounding Lahar, Doranbolt, and the bodies within a large box. The woman pushed passed the knight just as he finished, colliding with a magical barrier. Her eyes widened, staring at the strange lettering before her with a frown.

“That should keep her at bay.” Lahar stated. “Now, we can work in peace. Only officials working for the council and the dead can enter this area, until I dispel my ward.”

Doranbolt nodded, glancing up towards Lahar with a serious expression. “Good. That will help, since it seems like this will take some time. There are no injuries on your subordinate, either. I don’t even think we should waste our time with the others.”

Nodding in agreement, Lahar closed his eyes and let his palm hover over the body of the elderly man. Sensing magical energy was not an easy task. For rune knights, they all had to be skilled in differentiating between the energy of different spells to know if the intent was friendly or not. The higher ranking officials had to be able to do the same for the lingering energy of spells that had been previously cast, rather than ones being used at that moment. 

His partner began doing the same, looking concerned the longer they sat side by side. Something in the air was making Lahar almost feel sick the longer he meditated. The ethernano of this spell was twisted and dark, far darker than anything he had ever encountered. Even demons had a brighter feel to them, and they were created by the Black Wizard himself. 

With tense arms, Lahar began to sweat and lean forward. Despite knowing how dark the magic was, he could not identify the spell. It had to be something ancient, a lost magic of some form. That was all the more concerning, though. Lost magics were rare, and even the Council had little information on them. “Lahar, this energy…it is almost revolting just to sense the spell that lingers in the area. I don’t think I can stomach doing this for much longer,” Doranbolt stated, breathing heavily as he hunched over on the ground.

There was nothing Lahar could say to argue against him. Feeling weak himself, Lahar opened his eyes and focused on the world around him once more. “This is even worse than I imagined. Black magic…true black magic, designed to kill in an instant. That is all I can gain from what I’m sensing. Going much deeper…I fear we would experience the affects of the spell itself, to be honest,” he breathed.

A spell that powerful was rare. Lahar had not expected this magic to have a lingering effect, but so long as he kept his body sealed off to the ethernano in the air, he appeared to be okay. The more of this energy he absorbed, the more sick he felt. “I agree. I don’t think we can learn anything more here, Lahar. Let’s get somewhere safe, and wait for Natsu to return. Maybe his nose can pick up something we’ve missed, because right now, I don’t think even one of Tartaros’ members is strong enough to cast a spell like this.”

Rising to his feet, Lahar nodded in agreement. The sooner they left this place, the better. He began walking towards the end of the street with Doranbolt at his side. He paused for a moment, glancing back at the magic shop. All of the buildings were intact, and not a single object was broken. Whatever spell this was, it targeted only living things. Raising a hand to take down his spell, Lahar hesitated. Slowly, he dropped his hand, leaving the barrier in place. If the spell’s effects were lingering in the area, it would be safer to keep others away from it. For now, he would leave the shop blocked off, until they could determine just what spell was used and how to stop it from being cast again.


	11. A Change of Plans

Things were going massively wrong for the Fairy Tail wizards at the moment. Makarov was sitting in the train station, observing the few members still lingering within. While the first groups to leave had managed to get to their destination, he had seen Zeref’s train return to the station. Based on the looks of their master, Makarov knew what was going on. He was losing control again, and now could not be a worse time for Zeref to be killing anyone.

In many ways, Makarov didn’t quite know how he felt about their master. Zeref had guided their first master into the ways of magic, and continued educating their wizards when they wished to gain more power. Back in those days, Zeref had simply gone by the name Spriggan to them, unwilling to share his real name with anyone other than Mavis. Makarov had been a child when he first remembered seeing Spriggan and Mavis together. He had just begun to learn magic from his father, and when he went to practice in the woods, he saw the dark haired boy gently stroking the hair of their first master, as if comforting her over something.

Those days had been peaceful, even after what Makarov saw that day. The death of their first master, and the one responsible for her death, were Fairy Tail’s greatest secrets. No one knew just how dangerous their master was, except for himself. The other children may have been aware of Zeref’s magic, but to his knowledge, only he had witnessed its killing power in person.

Currently, rune knights were increasing in number around town. Makarov had watched as trains came into the station, nearly filled with the Council’s law enforcement officers. Fairy Tail wizards all did their best to keep their heads down when they arrived, avoiding their gazes and trying to blend with the crowd. 

Rising to his feet, Makarov moved to speak with at least one of the members that might have an idea of what to do next. Macao and Wakaba were still waiting for Oshibana Station to open back up. Further down in the waiting area, Jet and Droy were quietly sitting together. A few times, Makarov thought he saw one of them crying, but it wasn’t unusual when Levy was away from her team. 

While any of them may have been good choices to consult, Makarov went for the younger generation of wizards instead. Erza and Gray were sitting across from each other, glancing at Makarov as he approached. “Makarov, have you heard any news from…” Erza began, trailing off as she glanced around the station.

Shaking his head, Makarov took a seat next to Gray. “No, though from what I saw, he is not doing well,” he stated grimly. “All of these rune knights do not bode well for us, either. I imagine he was not able to escape the crowd entirely this time.”

With wide eyes, Gray turned towards him. “Wait, you aren’t saying—did he actually kill someone this time?” he demanded. The air around him chilled slightly, a reaction to Gray’s startled mood.

Glancing towards the ground, where his own feet dangled above the floor, Makarov nodded. “Indeed. Leaving the city will be problematic now,” he stated quietly. “Large groups will be suspicious in many ways, I imagine. Spriggan was wise to tell us to stagger our departures. At least this way, we have a chance.”

“Should we search for him? I did not think he would be gone for so long,” Erza suggested, crossing her arms over her chest. 

Makarov folded his hands together, shaking his head. “No, I do not think he would wish for us to do so.” In his mind, he was seeing Zeref nearly ninety years ago, with Mavis in that forest. They had seemed so close, and Makarov had felt embarrassed when he heard Zeref proclaim his love for their guild’s master. He hadn’t quite understood the man’s ramblings about some curse they shared, but he did hear the warmth in his voice and he had seen it in the way Zeref gazed upon the girl.

Shaking his head, Makarov tried to dispel the images of the past. One kiss had been all that was needed that day, to end such a precious life that was meant to be immortal. “We have to do something! How can you tell us to just sit around and wait for him to return?” Gray demanded, his fist slamming into the seat by his side. “He may be dangerous, but he’s a member of our guild. I don’t care what he’s done in the past, he’s still a member of our family.”

“If you go after him now, you will be dead too, Gray!” Makarov stated, his voice getting a bit louder. Luckily, the train station was busy today, and the noise of others covered his voice. Clearing his throat, Makarov calmed himself slightly and sighed. “He is not an easy man to understand. In fact, I don’t think any of us know him as well as we think we do. At the moment, he’ll want to be alone, though. Every life he takes is a life he has to grieve for, and we would only add to his burden.”

Still keeping his hands clenched into fists, Gray looked away. He was grimacing, angry for good reason, but they could do nothing to aid Zeref. “Considering the circumstances, you may be correct,” Erza stated, looking focused. “We would be better off organizing the members that remain in town. We must find shelter for the night, where we will not be discovered by the officials entering town. It may be possible to utilize the train station as such, since we are all travelers to Oshibana.”

Makarov shook his head, considering where else to go. “No, too many people here overnight would be just as suspicious as having all of us leave,” he insisted. “Unfortunately, I think we may need to find lodging for the night. We can leave one or two wizards here to keep an eye out for Spriggan. All others should go elsewhere to rest, until we see our master again.”

“There are sufficient funds within the guild’s account to allow us to purchase rooms in town,” Erza stated, turning towards Gray. The ice-wizard now seemed to have lost his clothes, making Makarov sigh and turn his head away. “Gray, do keep your clothing on. We are trying to avoid attention, not attract it.”

The boy panicked slightly, glancing down at himself in surprise. A few people gave him side glances, quickly turning away when they noticed his lack of clothing. It didn’t take Gray long to correct that, and once he did, he was serious once more. “Alright, sounds like a plan. Let’s gather everyone up and head out. I say we have Nab wait for Spriggan. As the wizard who takes the fewest jobs around here, he’s the face the rune knights are least likely to recognize.”

Nodding in agreement, Makarov rose to his feet. “The two of you head on out. I’ll round up the other children and inform them of the new plan. Fairy Tail will live on, we will all make sure of that.” he promised, pressing a hand to his chest. With that, he moved towards the other groups in the station, slowly spreading word of what was to come. Even without their leader, this guild could keep itself going. That was the Fairy Tail way, and if anyone understood that amongst the wizards here, it was Makarov, the son of Yuri Dreyar and the only wizard aware of the truth behind Zeref’s cursed magic.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

In Oshibana Station, another story was unfolding for a different group of Fairy Tail wizards. Laxus and the Thunder Legion were no where to be seen, having left long before anyone else even considered leaving ahead of their master. Gathered in the station, however, were the females of Fairy Tail. Mira stared at her sister and two friends, unsure of what to do now that they were here. 

Their arrival was supposed to be peaceful. Everything had been going fine, with Master leading them peacefully through the transition. While Mira was worried about their future, she knew it was the best chance they had of staying together. Zeref had been so understanding as well, letting them start out small by taking down dark guilds, rather than taking on assassination jobs immediately. 

When she got off of the train with Lisanna, Cana, and Levy, they felt a tension in the station that didn’t seem right. People were gathered inside, sweat on their faces as they remained still in their seats. Not a single person moved, and as Mira studied the situation further, she saw the problem. The people standing tall were wizards, and from the looks of the man leading them, she had a feeling she knew which guild they were from. With the white hair and large scythe in his hand, the man leading them could only be Erigor, the rumored wind mage of Eisenwald.

The four wizards stepped timidly closer to the large band of dark wizards. It looked like the majority of Eisenwald’s guild members were here, based on the huge crowd. “Oh look, a few more flies have come around to join the fun,” Erigor commented, swinging his scythe over his shoulders. “Everyone, this station is ours now, so unless you want to fight us, I suggest you get out, now.”

The already panicked citizens began to unfreeze. Those sitting staggered to their feet, stumbling around to rush for the exit. A few people began to scream and shout, alerting the other citizens to the attack on the train station. One person remained behind, however. Mira turned to see one of the employees in the ticket booth, a phone in their hand. As if from no where, a mage appeared from within the walls of the booth, stabbing through the man’s chest with a dagger.

He vanished from sight again, reappearing from the floor by Erigor’s side. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to act without orders, sir,” he stated nervously, glancing down at his hands.

Erigor smiled, patting the man’s arm. “You did well, Karacka. Now, go make sure there are no more stragglers. I think we’ve got more than enough power here to deal with these little girls,” he insisted.

“I wouldn’t get so cocky if I were you, buddy,” Cana stated with a smirk. She had her hand on her waist, the other hand holding three cards between her fingers. “You’ve ruined my plans to relax and have a drink when I got to town, and now, I’m rather irritated. I think we should show you what happens when you mess with us.”

Cana may have been confident, but Mira had heard about these wizards before. “Be careful, Cana. This is the most powerful member of the dark guild, Eisenwald. He isn’t going to go down easily,” she warned, standing ready herself. Her arms were tense by the sides of her red dress. At any moment, she could transform to aid her allies.

The brunette scoffed, giving a short laugh as she shook her head. “Yeah, well, I’m not going to just let him take over this station either. We’ve got people trying to follow us, remember?” she stated.

Nodding, Lisanna stood ready as well. Her body already transformed, taking on cat-like ears and hands to increase her speed and allow her to fight. “Yes, and we cannot allow them to harm the innocent lives of the people in this town. We may not be taking jobs anymore, but this is just too cruel for me to stand by and let happen,” she insisted.

With her arms held up, Levy moved to stand next to Cana, the three of them facing off against the huge crowd of confident dark wizards. “My magic can help too. Between the four of us, I am certain we can defeat these wizards. After all, Spriggan told us we could take down Eisenwald when we arrived. I don’t think it matters if we do it sooner than planned.” 

Her reasoning made a lot of sense, but it seemed to anger one of Erigor’s companions. “Take down Eisenwald?” a black haired man stated, with a white jacket hanging around his body. “Ha, don’t make me laugh! You flies can’t even begin to comprehend our true power. Now that we’ve gotten our hands on—“

“Kageyama, don’t you go blabbing about our plans.” Erigor interrupted. “Besides, don’t you think it is time for the others to prove their worth? Here we stand before official guild wizards, from the sounds of their filthy arrogant words. What better way to prove your prowess than through true battle? Kageyama, Rayule, come with me. We have preparations to complete for our final plans.”

Seeing the three wizards about to leave, Mira finally transformed and tried to take flight. Her white hair spiked upward, and her flowing red dress transformed into a tight fitting, revealing leotard with long red boots. With black wings and a tail to finish her form, she was in the sky in a moment. Another wizard, however, lashed out with water magic and pulled her down to the ground. She glanced up to try and reach them again, only to see the wizard from before appearing from the wall behind them. “This is the last of them, boss,” Karacka stated nervously, rubbing his green hair.

Rushing towards him, the three wizards grabbed on to Karacka from his position within the wall. “Excellent work. Now, I think it is time for these pawns of ours to deal with this rabble. Come, we have work to do in Clover, this is not even worth our time,” Erigor insisted.

“Get back here!” Mira shouted, glaring down at the water wrapping around her ankle. A wizard stood at the other end, smirking at her as he came closer.

“What do we have here? A nice young lady shouldn’t be wearing such an ugly face like that,” he taunted, kneeling closer.

“Solid Script: Lightning!” Levy shouted, sending it flying towards the man. Suddenly shocked by the words, he stumbled away, his spell vanishing and freeing Mira from his grasp.

As Levy moved to her next target, Cana also moved to attack. Several cards were launched from her hands, shining in different colors as they flew into the swarm of dark wizards. They slashed through their skin, cutting the wizards and making many gasp in pain. Seeing her chance, Levy turned towards the nearly vanished wizards in the wall. “Solid Script: Chain!” she shouted.

The words spun around, created from chain links that sprung through the air like a whip. Watching, Mira saw them wrap around the shoulders of the man Erigor referred to as Karacka. The man looked startled, attempting to disappear quicker. On the other end of the words, Levy pulled harshly against the chains, trying to pull the wizards free from the wall.

“Erigor, I can’t…help me, please!” Karacka stated, looking afraid as he found himself incapable of vanishing completely. The other wizards with him seemed to have the same issue, since the portal was created from Karacka’s magic. The wind mage only scowled at Karacka, smacking the wizard harshly.

“Fool, don’t let them get the best of you! You are a wizard of Eisenwald, do not disappoint me, Karacka,” he insisted darkly.

Other wizards began to move to attack Levy, seeing her current situation as a weakness. Mira watched as a wizard with requip magic moved to attack. They pulled out a sword from the air, slashing it down towards Levy. Rushing forward, Mira’s speed in her demon form allowed her to get to Levy in time. Using the hardened skin on her wrist, Mira blocked the blow and gave the attacking wizard a harsh glare. “No one harms my comrades and gets away with it,” she warned darkly.

Behind Mira, Lisanna had moved to help Levy pull the chain further from the wall. Cana continued her barrage of cards, stunning the wizards with her seemingly endless attacks. When a large group of wizards moved to surround her and block Cana’s next volley, she took on a new tactic. Lifting a single card into her hand, she grinned and threw it onto the ground. “Prayer’s Fountain!” she shouted. A torrent of water flew upward from the card, blasting away the surrounding wizards with streams of powerful water magic.

Focusing on her own opponent, Mira rushed forward, kicking the requip wizard harshly and sending him flying into the wall. It crumbed away, breaking even the section where Karacka had been seeking escape. The four wizards within tumbled out from the spell, collapsing on the ground. Avoiding Erigor’s gaze, Karacka rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry…this is all my fault…I didn’t mean to…” he began, backing away nervously.

Glaring at his comrade, Erigor punched the man harshly, sending him flying into one of the pillars in the station. “Fool! How dare you fail to deliver us to safety? It looks like we have to deal with these flies after all.” he commented, swinging his scythe around his shoulders.

“Nah, let the lesser wizards have their chance. Sheer numbers will be enough to deal with these amateur wizards.” Kageyama insisted, watching the battle.

Smirking at them, Cana lifted yet another three cards in her hand. “Don’t underestimate Fairy Tail, we’re more powerful than you think.” she insisted. “Thunderbolt’s Fate!” she shouted, the cards illuminating in her grip with yellow light. It flew outwards towards the surrounding wizards, shocking them all and rendering many unconscious. 

Joining in, Mira moved to aid her allies. Summoning her own magic, a dark ball of energy began to form between her hands, growing larger as she smiled at her enemies. The ball grew until its power was finally unleashed, a blast of dark purple energy firing outward towards the wizards of Eisenwald. They were sent flying away, collapsing in the same rubble as their comrades before them.

“Hey, don’t take all of the fun. It’s my turn, sister. I’ll handle the rest.” Lisanna stated proudly, smiling as she leapt into the air, still in cat form. While above the other wizards, she transformed yet again. Her body changed completely, becoming larger and furrier. Her hair was bright purple, and she took on the form of an enormous rabbit, though it did look quite cute on the outside. What it hid was the true power within, allowing her weight to crush her opponents and render any attacking spells useless against her form.

Smiling, Lisanna turned towards Mira. She seemed pleased to have won, and now, there were only the four main wizards left to defeat. However, at that moment, black bands swung forth from the hands of Rayule, wrapping around Lisanna’s animal form and restraining her. In an attempt to escape, she returned to her normal form, but the bands only tightened in response, as the wizard glared at her, one eye slightly wider than the other. His yellow hat framed his face as he smirked, looking confident in his skill. “Well, looks like they were useless. Now, let me show you the power of a true wizard, fly.”

“Lisanna!” Mira called out, rushing forward. She had to save her sister, before things went too far. She lashed out at the bands binding Lisanna, attempting to break them apart. Her hands, however, were stopped in an instant. “Shadow Pull!” Kageyama shouted. A massive shadowy hand formed within the room, grabbing Mira’s body and pulling her down to the ground. She gasped as pain shot through her back, hearing it crack against the cement floor of the station.

Glaring at their opponents, Cana stepped forward next. “Come on, Levy. Let’s take care of these guys quick.” she stated, pulling out another handful of cards. However, with his free hand, Rayule shot out another stream of black bands, ensnaring the card wizard and leaving Levy alone to free her comrades.

With her arm bent upward, her fist near her face, Levy stared with wide eyes at the wizards they faced against. Erigor came closer, smiling at the girl as he leaned closer to her. “Well, what have we here? That mark on your shoulder…you girls are from Fairy Tail, are you?” he mused. “I heard that you were being expelled from the official roster of guilds. Looks like I was wrong, if you are attacking dark guilds like ours.”

Determined, Levy prepared her own magic to battle against him. “I don’t have to answer questions from the likes of you!” she insisted, her hands held in the air to write. “Solid Script: Fire!” she shouted, flaming words dancing before her. They shot out towards Erigor, who only smirked. He lashed out with his scythe, a harsh wind coming from it and slicing through her words. The flames were extinguished in an instant, leaving her staring at Erigor with fear in her eyes.

“Is that the best you can do? Surely, you do realize that fire can never beat wind.” he insisted with a smirk, his hand loosely gripping his scythe. “Now, it’s my turn. Storm Bringer!” he shouted, wind magic launching itself towards Levy. She braced herself, attempting to create a shield only a moment too late. 

A massive tornado blasted towards her, lifting her into the air and throwing her body around. Her hair was undone, flying around in the wind and smacking her face at times. Rubble was brought into the storm, colliding with her skin and making Levy cry out in pain. Cuts formed on her skin as a result, leaving her injured and stunned by his strength. Eventually, the spell died down, releasing Levy. Limply, she fell to the ground, feeling her body soar and weak from the attack.

Rolling over onto her stomach, Levy grimaced and tried to push herself back up. She managed to push her chest off of the ground, enough for her to meet the gaze of Erigor who knelt before her. “Surely, now you understand your predicament. Really, you flies never stood a chance against us.” he stated confidently. “No one can beat my wind magic, it is an unstoppable defense! Now, Fairy Tail wizards, I have a few questions for you. Rumor has it, you are going dark just like us. Is there any truth to that sentiment?”

Mira attempted to rise to her feet again, but Kageyama simply slammed her back into the ground with his shadows, confidently striding over to stand by Erigor’s side. Weak and out of magic power, Levy glanced around at her friends. All of them were trapped in some way, and she wanted to help somehow. “If I tell you…promise me, you’ll release my friends. I won’t let you hurt them,” she insisted.

“Oh, what a feisty one. Do you want me to show her some manners, Erigor?” Kageyama commented, a gleam in his eyes.

Shaking his head, Erigor focused on the girl. “I like a girl with spunk, there is no need to extinguish the bright flame within her. After all, these wizards could be of use to us. They understand our pain, after being shunned by all other official guilds. Fairy Tail was hated even when it wasn’t being hunted by the magic council, and now, they’ll be exterminated if they don’t get help.” he insisted, smiling over at Levy. “Eisenwald just might be willing to provide them with some protection, for the right price.”

Closing her eyes, Levy held back the desire to scream at the man for even suggesting something like that. Still, it was her only option to save them from this situation, where they were overpowered by dark wizards with magic that they had not been prepared for. “I…alright.” Levy said after a few moments. “I’ll tell you what you want to know. Fairy Tail is no longer a part of the official guilds, and we are going dark. We only want to be able to stay together with our friends…we didn’t want to hurt anyone…”

Kageyama laughed at her words, shaking his head at the girl. “Didn’t want to hurt anyone? Are you hearing her, Erigor? This chick seriously thinks she can be a dark wizard, without being willing to go to extreme lengths for her plans.” he insisted. Pulling something out from his jacket, Kageyama knelt before her. Staring at the object in his hand, Levy began to frown in confusion. It looked like a wooden flute, decorated with a skull at the top and a strange, branch-like structure at the base. “This is how far Eisenwald is willing to go for its desires. Official guilds won’t stand a chance at preventing us from bringing in our own sense of justice to the world.”

Pulling him back, Erigor seemed to be a bit irritated by his words. “Enough, I told you before, don’t go around blurting our plans to just anyone. Fairy Tail may no longer be an official guild, but they did still come here to stop us. Tell me, how much of our plans did you know about before coming here?” he demanded, lifting Levy’s face.

With the man forcing her to stare into his eyes, Levy scowled in irritation. “We don’t care about your plans! We just want this station opened up again, so trains can come to Oshibana once more.” she insisted. “That flute, though…I think I remember reading about it before. It’s Lullaby, isn’t it?”

“You’re a smart one, aren’t you?” Erigor stated, grinning at her. “Yes, this flute is indeed Lullaby, the ancient song of death created by the Black Wizard Zeref! With this flute, I can destroy anyone I want, by playing a simple song.”

Gasping, Mira turned her gaze towards him. “Clover…the guild masters are meeting there around this time of year…Master refused to go, afraid of what would happen. Actually, I think Happy flew on ahead to meet up with them earlier…that cat seemed to honestly think he was the new guild master…” she stated with a sigh. Then, she glanced back up at the dark wizards, biting her bottom lip nervously with wide eyes. “You’re going after the guild masters? That’s just…how could you? They keep us together, leading us through times of sorrow and suffering. Even if they dislike you, it doesn’t excuse killing anyone!”

Glancing back at her, Erigor sighed and rose to his feet. “Well, who cares what you think? We’re tired of being repressed, and it is time we did something about it. As for you four, you won’t be leaving this station anytime soon. I hope you like my wind wall, there isn’t a method on earth that will allow any of you to break free. Thanks for chatting with me, you gave me all the time I needed to build my winds up around this station, and trap you all like the flies you are.”

“No way…” Lisanna whispered, suddenly dropped to the floor as Rayule moved towards his companions.

“Nice work, Erigor. Now, let’s get out of here, before the conference ends.” Rayule stated.

Nodding, Erigor moved to leave, with Kageyama and Rayule in tow. The three of them moved towards the door, and as they did so, Lisanna moved to attack. She launched herself towards them, returning to her rabbit form to attack. Scoffing, Kageyama unleashed his magic. Shadowy tendrils rose into the air around them all, forming a shield that blocked Lisanna’s attack. They moved unstopped, opening the door and revealing a massive wind storm building outside. The sheer force of the winds would tear any of them apart. Staring at them, the girls could only help but realize just how hopeless this all was. The guild masters would fall, and the only ones aware of the plan and able to stop it were trapped in this train station, incapable of escaping or calling for help.


	12. Breaking Through

Arriving in Oshibana, Zeref could see the chaos. People were running through the streets, some of them shouting in fear. “Please, help! Dark wizards have taken over the train station!” one shouted, pleading with a nearby officer.

The officer worked to calm the woman, while Zeref quickly moved passed her. Natsu followed behind, still strangely thoughtful as they went against the flow of traffic. People were fleeing from the devastation these wizards were causing, making it quite easy for Zeref to find the place he needed to be. 

As he neared the station, a different scene awaited. While many people had fled in fear, others had come to see what all the panic was about. Zeref stopped, staring with wide eyes at the station. People gathered around, whispering about what they saw, while officials stood guard to keep them away from the building itself. In reality, the officials weren’t actually needed, though. A massive tornado-like wind surrounded Oshibana Station, cutting it off from the outside world. The wind was blowing back the hair of those close to it. Zeref could feel the wind even from the edge of the crowd, where it only lightly blew a few strands back, instead of the major whipping motion that could be seen around those in front.

Natsu smirked at the sight, crossing his arms over his chest. “Well, looks like we’re in the right place. I’m gonna burn that thing to the ground.” he insisted. Turning towards him, Zeref watched as Natsu lifted his hand and lit a small flame in his palm. The heat warmed Zeref’s skin, but he knew it would not be enough.

Grabbing Natsu’s wrist, not caring about the now-hot skin on his palm, Zeref shook his head and pushed the fireball down. “No, this is not your typical spell.” he stated softly. Closing his eyes, Zeref focused on sensing the energy around it, binding it in place and keeping it active. “The wind would simply put out your flames. It is strong and powerful, so attempting to break through with force alone would tear you apart.”

“Come on, then what are we going to do? There’s gotta be a way to get rid of that wall.” Natsu complained.

There was, but it didn’t involve Natsu’s magic. Pushing passed those in the crowd, Zeref attempted to approach the barrier. People let him pass, far more concerned with their speculations than with the actions of two individuals. Natsu was a bit more forceful than Zeref as he followed, not caring as he pushed people aside with a focused gaze. Zeref could feel Natsu’s eyes burning into the back of his head, and it made him tense and wary. If the boy was still planning to somehow befriend him, Zeref had plenty of reason to worry.

When they got to the front of the crowd, Zeref came face to face with one of the officials trying to calm the chaos. Luckily, these were normal soldiers, not rune knights. With the lack of coordination between magical law enforcement and regular law enforcement, few soldiers even became aware of criminals amongst the few wizards living within Fiore. They would not be searching for Zeref, and it would be safe to at least reveal his status as a wizard to them. Anyone else would have proven to be a challenge, and Zeref was relieved to see at least one thing working for him rather than against him now.

“Please, stand back and return to your homes.” the officer was saying, his hands held out towards the surrounding citizens. “We have called out for help, wizards will be arriving soon to take down the barrier around the station.”

“Oi, just let us through! We’re wizards, we’ll take care of that little breeze for ya.” Natsu stated confidently.

Sighing, Zeref closed his eyes and shook his head. “I apologize for his rashness, sir.” he stated quietly, catching the officer’s attention before Natsu really angered him. The man closed his mouth, turning towards Zeref instead with a slight frown. For an officer, he looked rather young. He had bright blue eyes, and around the edges of the helmet he wore, the officer’s blue hair could be seen. “However, we are wizards, and I do believe I can remove the wind barrier.”

“Prove it. I wanna see your magic, kids. Breaking a high-level spell like this takes far more skill than two low-class guild wizards.” the officer insisted.

Zeref wondered where this man had gained such information on magic, but he didn’t get the chance. Natsu glared at him, both of his fists igniting as he took a threatening step forward. “We don’t have time for this, just get out of our way!” he shouted. The officer stumbled back slightly, before glancing back with wide eyes at the swirling vortex behind him. 

Moving quickly, Zeref put himself in between Natsu and the man. “Natsu, enough. This man is simply doing his job, there is no need for such violence.” Zeref insisted. Huffing, the dragon slayer put his fists down, while Zeref focused back on the man in front of him. “My companion is quite impatient. You see, we both have work to be done that was interrupted by the takeover of Oshibana Station. Our interests in freeing it are personal, and unlike the wizards you sent for, we are highly motivated to remove this barrier.”

The officer still looked doubtful, swallowing nervously as he glanced between them. “Yeah, but still. You two are way too young to be masterful wizards…not that you don’t have some skill, it just isn’t the type of magic that could…” he trailed off, looking uncomfortable as his gaze kept flickering over towards Natsu. “Look, I’m not supposed to let you through, alright? This is a public safety hazard, if someone gets hurt, it’s on my head. I could lose my job over it, okay?”

Smiling, Zeref nearly laughed in amusement. Unlike Natsu, if he truly wanted to, Zeref could walk straight through the barrier and survive. Despite still feeling pain, his immortality did have a few benefits like that. “If we are harmed, I shall not blame you. In fact, should this barrier miraculously manage to harm me, I think I would find myself quite pleased, to be honest.” he mused, tilting his head.

Looking startled, the man didn’t even react as Zeref moved to stand beside him, gazing up at the winds. His robes were flying around him, blowing back from the force of the spell. The cape over his shoulder was nearly horizontal, the fabric flying about behind his back and nearly smacking into Natsu from the force of the breeze. 

The dragon slayer glared over at Zeref, moving to stand next to him rather than behind him. “Hey, you don’t actually mean that, do you?” Natsu questioned after a few moments. “I mean, you said something about finding peace in death before…do you really just want to die?”

Not responding, Zeref took a deep breath to calm himself. He didn’t often use magic that wasn’t black magic. Doing so forced him to focus more than usual, to alter the way his magic normally flowed within him. The spell around the station was actually simple in a way, despite the endless energy it seemed to have. It drew upon the surrounding air to continue its endless vortex, pulling in the wind from nearby and giving it more energy with the air already trapped within. All Zeref had to do was interrupt the motion within, and the entire system would fall apart.

Kneeling down, he pressed his palm to the ground. “Hey, I didn’t say you could do—!” the officer began. Zeref felt a hand on his shoulder, and he reacted swiftly. He was using magic right now, and that meant it was dangerous for anyone to get close. Harshly, he spun around and prepared to shove the man away. However, Natsu got to him first.

The dragon slayer had picked up the officer by his shoulder, yanking him back and tossing him on the ground. “Don’t interrupt. August has this, trust me. He’s really good with magic, I’ve seen his skill myself.” Natsu insisted, smirking over at the man.

The officer only stared with wide eyes at them, this time not trying to get back up as Natsu focused back on Zeref. The black wizard let himself smile slightly, feeling somewhat pleased that he had chosen to bring Natsu along. Perhaps there was a need for help. Someone needed to ensure that his focus remained, so his power didn’t delve into its natural tendencies to kill and destroy the world. 

“Thank you, Natsu. Please, make sure no one distracts me right now. While this spell is simple in nature, I don’t often work my own magic like this.” Zeref stated. The dragon slayer nodded, but Zeref’s head was bent down and he did not see the action. Instead, his black eyes shut once more, sensing out within the swirling mass for a way to stop the motion. Energy began to flow within his body, making his arms tingle as he pressed back against the wind. It was a gradual process, but Zeref could feel the energy of the storm lessening with every moment.

A small hint of black appeared by his legs, making Zeref scowl and stop for a second. His death magic was quite active lately, more so than usual. He did not know if he was caring more for life than normal, or if it was simply a part of the unpredictable nature of his curse. Either way, it irritated him and left him scowling until he regained control and resumed his work. Luckily, it wasn’t a massive explosion. Perhaps it had simply activated because he was using magic, but it was rare that it did so without any warning like that.

More energy died away, the wind slowly blowing around Zeref less harshly. His hair was already knotted and thoroughly tussled, but it began to still on his head as the vortex slowly vanished from the ground up. The spiraling wind seemed to condense into the sky, the spinning slower and nearly invisible as Zeref rose to his feet. His eyes opened, his cape now falling to rest against his back again as he stole away the last of the energy in the spell. 

Taking a deep breath, Zeref turned towards Natsu, who still had his hand gripped on the officer’s shoulder. With a grin, the dragon slayer turned towards the officer. “See? I told ya, August is great with magic! Plus, I don’t know how old he is, but he tells me he is older than he looks. He’s got plenty of years to be one of those master wizards you were talking about, I’m sure of it.” he insisted.

Scrambling away from them, the officer didn’t seem to know how to reply. “I…of course…I meant no offense, please forgive me!” he pleaded, trembling on the ground.

Used to seeing such fear, Zeref only turned away. “In the end, we accomplished our goal and you did not interfere. There is no need to apologize. Get on your feet, and get back to work.” Zeref ordered, moving towards the train station. He needed to see what had occurred within, to at least locate the wizards responsible for this. They had a reason for sealing off the station, but he did not know what that reason was.

“Wait…the wizards that did this, they could still be inside.” the officer began, slowly walking towards them. “After all the help you gave our town…you at least deserve a warning. That wind barrier, it was created by the most powerful wizard in the Eisenwald guild, Erigor. When he’s out at work, there isn’t any wizard that can stand up against him and win.”

“Eisenwald, you say?” Zeref mused, shaking his head. “That makes little difference, then. I would have gone against Erigor at some point, and if he truly is a dark wizard, I feel as if he will learn to bend to my will soon enough.”

“You don’t understand!” the officer shouted, grabbing Zeref’s shoulder again. It seemed as if this man never learned what was safe or not. Zeref tensed, his back stiffening as he froze from the contact. “Wizards from around the country have gotten in Erigor’s way. He kills anyone who even thinks of stopping him, and he hates anyone from official guilds. Both of you wizards will get slaughtered against him, especially the fire wizard.” He nodded towards Natsu, before backing away at the sight of the glare on the dragon slayer’s face. “No offense! It’s just that…fire magic typically doesn’t work well against Erigor. I was still in training when I saw one attempt to take him down…their flames went out before they even reached the dark wizard.”

Slowly stepping away, Zeref relaxed once the man’s grip was no longer on him. Turning back towards the officer, Zeref frowned slightly. “What is your name, officer?” he questioned.

“Officer Jackson, law enforcement official of Oshibana at your service.” he stated, bowing slightly. “I really should apologize for my arrogance earlier. My parents are wizards, you see, and being raised around magic…you tend to learn a thing or two about how it works. I never had much of a talent for it, but I can learn to understand the concepts behind it at least.”

Nodding, Zeref gazed back at the station with a frown. “I see. If you truly wish to help us, then I suggest forgetting you ever saw either of us. We are not official guild wizards, Officer Jackson.” Zeref stated, waiting for his reaction. Depending on how he handled it, Zeref may just have a use for him. A law enforcement official was a powerful tool, especially for misdirection within the Magic Council.

“Huh? Why does he need to know that?” Natsu asked, confused as he glanced back at the officer.

“Not official…are you two dark wizards as well?” Officer Jackson questioned, fear in his tone.

Tilting his head, Zeref returned his gaze to the officer on the street. The crowd was beginning to disperse, leaving them with a little bit more space to talk. “Natsu is not, that much I can assure you of. As for me…my home lies within another nation, actually. I am a wizard of the Alvarez Empire. I came here to visit with…family, I suppose.”

With wide eyes, Jackson stepped closer to Zeref. “The Alvarez Empire? That nation is huge, their military strength is enough to intimidate even the royal family!” he shouted. “A wizard from there…no wonder you were capable of breaking that barrier. I hear Alvarez wizards are far more powerful than wizards in Ishgar.”

Seeing some potential, Zeref smiled with a dark look in his eyes. “Indeed, though that is a result of the leadership from Emperor Spriggan. It is he who unifies the nation, and helps us grow to be so powerful.” Zeref explained. “My presence here in Fiore has caused much issue, actually. I find myself pursued by the Rune Knights of this nation, and it is getting tedious to avoid them.”

“Those guys? Man, what did you do to get on their radar?” the officer asked.

Natsu was watching the exchange with a frown, looking confused. Zeref continued on anyway, not concerned with explaining his actions to his companion. “I do not know, though there was an instance where I…lost control of my magic, briefly. Perhaps the resulting damage caused them to seek me out. They’ve interrupted my ability to remain with those I came to see, and it has irritated me to no end.” 

Jackson nodded, smiling brightly at him. “Well, you let me worry about those guys. You said your name was August, right?” he questioned. Nodding, Zeref watched the officer pick up his dropped spear and hold it tightly in his hand. “If they come around asking about either of you, I’ll make sure to tell them that you were no where near here. It’s the least I can do, since you freed Oshibana Station for us.”

Shaking his head, Zeref smiled wider. “No, do not tell them that. If they come seeking me out, I wish for you to tell them that I took a train, leaving towards Hargeon.” A port town would be the best diversion, he decided. From there, he could have boarded any number of ships, and even left the country if he so desired. 

“Hargeon? Oh, I see…well, let’s lead them on a little chase, then. Good luck with your work, and keep my warning in mind.” Officer Jackson stated, waving towards them. “Erigor is not someone you want to mess with. Just get to your destination and call it good, okay?”

Nodding, Zeref turned back to enter the station. He would not be listening to that warning of course, but he could let the man believe he would avoid those dark wizards. Fairy Tail still had to destroy Eisenwald, and that would likely mean a battle between his wizards and those that Jackson seemed so concerned with. Smiling, he moved to enter the station, with Natsu following close behind. It was time to reunite his guild together, Zeref decided. He would get the station operating once more, and Fairy Tail would finally leave Magnolia to come to the city they would soon call home.


	13. An Unhappy Reunion

The interior of Oshibana Station was a mess. Walls were crumbling apart and wizards laid unconscious all over the ground. Staring around himself, Zeref could see that a battle had occurred within this place before the wind barrier was created. Leaning down next to an unconscious wizard, Zeref checked for a pulse to ensure that they weren’t actually dead.

Feeling the beating pulse beneath his fingers, Zeref nodded and rose back to his feet. Scanning the room, he saw even more damage than he originally thought was here. The floor was wet, shallow pools forming in spots and showing just where the dips in the floor were. Scratches could be seen on walls, as well as multiple smaller holes from guns. Wizards of all forms had fought in this battle, and from what Zeref could see, Eisenwald had lost.

Natsu stepped over bodies as well, sniffing the air with a grimace. “Something doesn’t smell right in this place.” he muttered, shaking his head.

Nodding, Zeref scanned the bodies further. As he did so, he finally spotted people that were awake. Familiar faces were scattered throughout, sitting up and turning towards them as they entered. A girl with long white hair and a tattered red dress smiled at him weakly, lifting her gaze to see him. “Master…you’re here.” Mira whispered, sounding relieved.

Stiffening, Zeref glanced towards Natsu out of the corner of his eye. The boy blinked, turning towards Zeref. “Master? Wait…you’re Fairy Tail’s guild master! That’s why you wouldn’t tell me stuff about you. Lahar couldn’t even figure out who you were. Looks like I’m smarter than those rune knights, ha!”

Pressing a hand to his forehead, Zeref sighed and closed his eyes. “Natsu, please. This is not the time for this.” he insisted. “If they were even close to determining who I truly was, the group of rune knights in Magnolia would seem like nothing compared to the force they’d send after me.”

“Yeah, but I still found you before they did!” Natsu insisted proudly. “Seems like they’re the ones that need to improve, if they can’t find one guy. You were the first wizard I found from your guild, anyway.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to—” Mira began, but Zeref waved off her concern.

“It’s fine, you’ve clearly been involved in a battle recently. You did well, it appears as if the majority of Eisenwald has been eliminated already.” Zeref mused, smiling over towards her. “Where are the others? I assume they are all here.”

Sitting up and leaning back on her arms, Levy rose from the crowd. “I’m here.” she stated, raising her hand. “But…Laxus was already gone when we arrived. He took the train before ours, so I’m assuming they got out before Eisenwald attacked.”

“Lazy bastard, that’s what I have to say about him.” Cana complained, sitting up. She leaned onto her knee, bent upwards while her other leg sat flat on the ground. “They left us girls to handle an entire dark guild on our own. And he’s supposed to be an S-class wizard.”

Lisanna rubbed her back, wincing slightly as she turned towards Cana. “He isn’t that bad…I mean, he probably didn’t even know we were under attack,” she explained.

That was when things seemed to get unfocused. Natsu froze at the sight of Lisanna, his eyes wide as he sucked in a sharp breath. Turning towards him, Zeref tried to stop the boy, but the dragon slayer was already rushing forward. “You! I found you!” he shouted, startling the girl when he practically tackled her back to the ground. He leaned over her, his gaze harsh and unforgiving as he stared into her blue eyes.

“Um…Master, who is this?” Lisanna asked, looking uncomfortable as she tried to avoid him.

“From what he’s told me, an old friend of yours.” Zeref stated, observing them for now. “He…understands the basics of my power, at least, though he has yet to learn of my true identity.”

Her words only seemed to have angered Natsu further, flames beginning to form near his legs. “You don’t even recognize me? After you stole Happy away and ran off to your new family!” Natsu shouted, standing up and raising his gaze to the sky. “Damn you! How the hell could you forget about me so easily, Lisanna? You promised me that you’d be there, that you’d help me find Igneel!”

The white haired girl blinked, her eyes widening as recognition lit up her features. “Natsu…is it really you?” she questioned.

“Of course it’s me!” he shouted, lifting his gaze to the ceiling. He unleashed a torrent of flames into the air, his anger clearly making his magic become even more wild than before. “Then again, you probably don’t even care that I’m back, do ya? You’ve got Fairy Tail, so why would you need me?”

Stepping closer, Zeref hesitantly reached out towards Natsu. He didn’t normally touch anyone, out of fear of his magic, but the dragon slayer was getting close to losing control. He had to calm the boy somehow, and it was the first thing that came to mind. After his hand hovered in the air for a few moments, Zeref let it drop to the boy’s shoulder. Natsu blinked, turning towards him with a look of surprise. 

“Natsu, that is enough.” he stated quietly, with a warning deep in his tone. “Lisanna would not be capable of finding Igneel for you, that much I can assure you. Finding a dragon these days is quite impossible. If you wish to see him again, I recommend learning to be patient, for one day, the time will come when Igneel reveals himself to you.”

He had started out harshly, but for some reason, Zeref couldn’t keep up his usual anger against Natsu. There was something in Natsu that reminded Zeref of himself, the look of a man that was alone and misunderstood by the world. As such, Zeref knew that yelling would not reach Natsu’s heart and calm him. The only way to calm him would be to give the boy some form of hope, and luckily, Zeref knew exactly what had happened to the dragons so long ago.

The dragon slayer turned back towards him, the fire dying down slightly as his eyes widened. “You…you know Igneel? Tell me where he is, then! I wanna see him, I’ve got questions for him too!” he insisted.

“Uh, Natsu…that’s not a good idea…” Lisanna tried, seeing the dragon slayer leaning close to Zeref’s face. The black haired wizard leaned back slightly, grimacing at the boy’s proximity. He truly was impulsive, Zeref noted. He cared little for his own safety as well, another trait Natsu shared in common with Zeref.

Laughing, Cana threw her head back in amusement. “That boy’s gonna get himself killed, threatening our master like that.”

Narrowing his eyes, Zeref found he rather disliked Cana’s comment. He glared at her, his black eyes becoming harsh from her words. “I tire of this nonsense. For the dragons, it is a matter that I cannot discuss. Secrecy is imperative for success in that plan, and as such, not even you can learn of the location of them.” Zeref began, to explain enough for Natsu to back off. “Cana, if you speak so carelessly about my magic again, I will be quite angered. You do not want to see me when I am angry, Cana.”

Glancing away, Cana snorted and focused on her lap. By her side, Levy uncomfortably turned back towards Zeref. “Um…I know this isn’t a good time, but we’ve got a problem, Master.” she stated softly. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Zeref managed to have an impassive expression when he turned towards the blue haired wizard. “There were a few wizards who escaped our battle…they trapped us here to prevent us from interfering with their plans. One of them…they had a tool I recognized from the books I’ve read. The Lullaby Flute.”

“A flute? What’s so bad about a flute?” Natsu asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He still stood tense, avoiding Lisanna’s gaze, but at least he wasn’t screaming anymore.

Glancing towards the ground, Zeref could feel his own concerns rising. He had empowered the curse he found years ago, in the hopes that a more powerful death spell could end his own life. Transforming a simple flute that would kill an individual into a demon was simple work, for someone with much skill in living magic. Instead of killing himself, however, all the demon had done was kill an entire city of people, leaving only him alive. Angered by the failure, he had trapped the demon he created in a far less powerful form, creating a flute that people mistakenly believed would cast the death spell if played. He thought he had even sealed the flute away, however. This guild had gone to extreme lengths to locate it, and Zeref was not pleased to hear Lullaby was free.

His hands tightened into fists at the thought, aware that with the seal broken, Lullaby could gain the power necessary to revert into its demon form. “It isn’t a simple flute. Lullaby…is a demon, with the ability to kill almost as easily as I can.”

Natsu’s eyes narrowed, frowning over at Zeref. “Wait…so a bunch of dark wizards have the power to kill anyone by just raising their hand? We’ve gotta stop them!” he insisted, looking determined.

Smiling, Lisanna nodded in agreement. “You haven’t changed a bit, Natsu.” she commented. “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of this. Our master can handle any type of dark magic, with no problem.”

Stubbornly, Natsu ignored the girl and focused only on Zeref. The boy was being quite childish, Zeref noted, giving Lisanna the silent treatment. “Well…that’s only if we can catch up to them. They said they were going to Clover, where the annual guild masters’ conference is occurring. I think they plan to kill all of the masters.” Mira stated, looking worried and uncomfortable. 

“Guild masters’ conference?” Natsu stated, glancing towards Zeref. “Why aren’t you there? Wouldn’t things have been easier if you actually kept your status as Master? I mean, the Council wouldn’t be chasing you down and thinking you were a dark guild.”

Closing his eyes, Zeref ran a hand through his hair. “It is complicated, Natsu. To simplify matters, all I shall say is that showing my face to the other guild masters would not be wise…not anymore, at least. In terms of history, your country believes me to be dead, and I would prefer things to stay that way.”

Though, that may not be possible depending on how long it had been since Lullaby’s seal broke. “Levy, how long ago were they here?” Zeref asked. “The seal is still weakening at this point…if it fully breaks, not even the guild masters will be prepared to stop it.”

“Um…well, we arrived at the station about thirty minutes after leaving Magnolia…then we fought against Eisenwald…” she mused, calculating out the time difference. 

Mira shook her head, looking grave as she focused on Zeref. “Nearly three hours ago, to our knowledge. At this point, it is safe to assume they are in Clover, and already preparing to launch their attack on the guild masters.”

With that much time, it was almost certain that the seal was gone. Closing his eyes, Zeref let his hands fall to his sides. He had no other options, then. He moved forward, opening his gaze once more as he approached the railways, still holding trains that had been held from leaving when Eisenwald took over the station. “Natsu, if you are uncomfortable with this, you are welcome to stay in Oshibana. We have limited time right now, and I need to get to Clover immediately. The demon has likely been unleashed, and it needs to be stopped.”

Following Zeref’s gaze, Natsu began to look mildly sick already. “A train…oh no, why can’t we just walk again? Guild masters are strong enough to handle one little demon, aren’t they?” he pleaded, touching his stomach warily.

“I assume that means you are coming with.” Zeref stated, sighing. “In that case, be prepared to run. Dealing with Lullaby is likely going to reveal my identity to those watching. Any association with me will get yourself imprisoned in an instant, Natsu.”

“That’s right.” Cana stated with a grin, rising to her feet and draping an arm around his shoulders. “Our master is a scary guy, so be careful if you wanna hang out with us. Fairy Tail is becoming the most dangerous dark guild around, and soon, even the Council will fear our name.”

Looking uncomfortable, Natsu only frowned and entered a train car. Zeref moved inside as well, quickly moving towards the front of the train to access the controls. He did not think anyone else would be capable of controlling such a machine. While Zeref did not do so often, he understood the concepts behind operating a train and could manage with what he knew. Living for centuries meant he spent a lot of time reading and learning new things, and driving a train happened to be something he had researched at one point in time. He had learned at one point, when seeking a way to travel alone to an isolated region in the mountains where none could find him. Unfortunately, other people followed not long after he arrived, rendering one more secluded region useless to him.

“Natsu…are you really that mad at me?” Lisanna asked quietly as she got on board. Zeref could still overhear them, though their voices were quieter with the distance between himself and the other wizards. They had taken their seats, and Natsu had chosen a spot by himself, away from the girls. “It’s been years…I had hoped…I hoped that when we met again, we could be friends like we used to be.”

“Oooh, did ya hear that?” Cana taunted, leaning close to Levy who was sitting next to her. “I think our little Lisanna is in looove.”

“Cana!” Lisanna shouted, her cheeks turning pink. “It isn’t like that.”

“I don’t know, they would make a cute couple.” Mira mused, looking thoughtful. Natsu seemed to slump further down into his seat, his head burying into his scarf as he turned away from the girls. “Then again, Natsu also seems to be quite fond of our Master…”

Levy’s eyes went wide as Zeref began to start the train, trying to ignore their ramblings. He didn’t want to hear about being friendly with Natsu. “Wait, what? You aren’t implying that Master is actually…interested in anyone, are you?” Levy questioned.

“All of you, shut up!” Natsu shouted, startling Zeref. He paused in his actions, just as the train began to move along the tracks. The boy looked ready to say something else, but the sudden lurch of the train made him stop. Natsu’s hand went directly to his mouth, preventing him from hurling all over the aisle as he collapsed in his seat. Zeref watched him for a moment, shaking his head and focusing once more on the controls. Those girls could gossip all they wanted, he decided. Zeref knew what was best, and unlike them, he would not joke around about something as dangerous as growing attached to mortal wizards like them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I had to clarify this on FF.net, I figured I'd do the same here. Zeref and the others are currently unaware of Natsu's relationship to Zeref, due to reasons that will be explained later. So, this is Cana's and Mira's usual teasing/joking about possible couples in the guild, and nothing more. There will be no incest in this story, I promise that!


	14. A False Name

The investigation was not going well, Lahar noted. True, it was still only the first day, but he was already feeling like he was hitting a rock. After going around town, Lahar had visited with the rune knights that had spent the day interrogating the citizens of Magnolia. Each of them in turn gave him their notes from the interrogations. Now, he was looking over them, trying to find any hint of what may have happened in that shop earlier. He could not believe that there was not a correlation to those sudden deaths and the destruction of Fairy Tail. It was too unlikely for both events to occur in one day for it to simply be a coincidence.

He was in his inn, sitting on the chair provided to inspect his notes. Doranbolt had left long ago, trying to get any more information from others with his magic. Telepathy was a useful skill, Lahar noted. For interrogation, it would allow him to see inside of their minds and even infiltrate their ranks if necessary. He could not judge the man for using it to his advantage right now, when he had no other options to locate Fairy Tail, or this dark wizard.

Picking up another sheet, Lahar focused on the notes from another interrogation. This one stood out amongst all of them, from what he had seen. Most of the names were all familiar to him. After spending so much time visiting Magnolia to try and determine Fairy Tail’s new guild master, he had gotten to know many of the citizens. Now, with this mission in hand, he had files documenting the names of everyone currently residing in town. With those two things combined, he knew enough to at least recognize the names before him, at least, all of them except for one.

August Yura, a man who claimed to be the first person to arrive on the scene. No other citizen made such a claim, not even those that seemed to match the names of Fairy Tail’s actual wizards. That was what truly irked him, Lahar noted. He had reports of interrogations dealing with people such as Laki Olietta, an obscure member of Fairy Tail.

The rune knights were proving to be quite uninformed as to the members within the guild they were searching for. Still, simply seeing those names told him one thing. At least he had a time stamp that placed Fairy Tail in Magnolia during the time that the people within the magic shop died. The fake name, however, was more concerning. Was this August the man responsible for killing all of those people? Was he a different dark wizard, with no association to Fairy Tail?

His account was nothing noteworthy. He claimed to have been at home, and that after seeing the damage, he left to avoid the crowd. Not unusual in any way, Lahar noted. If it hadn’t been for the fake name, he wouldn’t have even given the interrogation a second thought. Setting the note aside, he continued on through the pile. He would come back to that man later, but for now, he needed to gather all of the names of Fairy Tail wizards he could find.

Much like he expected, no one reported seeing wizards of Fairy Tail during the disaster. They had heard some noise and gone to look, but no one had been seen. Either a powerful spell hid them all from sight, or Fairy Tail was better at staying hidden than Lahar had first thought. Flipping past another useless page, Lahar saw the next one. Droy was listed at the top, another Fairy Tail wizard.

Placing that into his small pile of wizards, Lahar continued on. This sorting of notes was to give him an idea of if the entire guild was still in Magnolia or not. The more wizards he found, the more reason he had to shut down transport leaving town. If Fairy Tail was still here, he would close the train station and cut off any way those wizards had of leaving. Rune knights would be placed on watch at that station too, observing for any wizards attempting to steal away a train to leave. While it wasn’t the best plan, it was better than nothing for the time being.

“Loke? Come on, how do you not recognize him?” Lahar stated at last in exasperation. That wizard was a player, and every woman in Fiore had heard of his name. As a single male wizard, associated with a powerful guild, there wasn’t a woman alive that didn’t want to date him. He used it to his advantage as well, becoming well-known as a flirt and a heartbreaker to any who sought to win his heart.

Then again, it wasn’t as if Loke was known for his strength. So long as the rune knight interrogating him was a man, it was actually reasonable for the wizard to go unnoticed amongst the citizens of town. Setting it into the pile of three, Lahar continued sorting through the documents. Still, he paused, glancing back to the single paper set above the others, the one focusing on August Yura.

For some reason, the name sounded familiar in a way. He was certain he had heard of someone by a similar name, but he could not determine where. Frowning, he picked it back up, trying to recall anything that might ring a bell. All of his time in the Magic Council, he had heard something about a man named something similar. August…a wizard by the name of August, that much he was certain of. That was when it hit him, making him gasp and drop the other sheets, staring with wide eyes at the table.

Many years ago, an embassy had been sent to another continent to negotiate trade with the Alvarez Empire. The relationship between Alvarez and Fiore had always been tense, and as such, rune knights had been sent to protect that group. Lahar had been among them, a brand new recruit in training. He hadn’t even been high enough up to be called an official knight yet, but his superior officer had been called away and took him along as a training exercise. 

The kingdom had been enormous. Lahar had been amazed by the grand buildings lining the streets as they ventured into Vistarion, the capital city of the nation. In the center of their squad had been the true ambassador, Princess Hisui, to negotiate matters with the nation. 

When they entered the castle, they were all directed into a large room, with an enormous round table within. Tall chairs remained empty around the table, as if waiting for people to return and claim them once more. Only two people were actually inside, despite the eleven empty chairs around them. One was an elderly man, with white hair and a long white beard. By his side was a very contrasting figure in terms of age, with a youthful face though his hair seemed to match the paleness of his companion. The younger one wore square glasses, and he seemed to have a strict air about him.

“Welcome to Vistarion, wizards of Fiore. I do apologize, our emperor is away on business and could not personally attend to these matters.” the youthful one stated calmly, rising to his feet and bowing slightly. The other man did the same, looking focused as he rose once more to stare at the group. “I am Invel Yura of the Spriggan Twelve, and this is my comrade, August. In our Emperor’s place, we will partake in negotiations for our trading arrangements. Are there any objections?”

The meeting had proceeded without issue from that point on. Lahar remained in the background, a bit intimidated by the magical pressure he felt coming from the two wizards within. They were strong, far stronger than anything he encountered, yet their princess had remained so calm in the face of such danger. He admired her back then, coming to understand that Fiore truly was a powerful nation in its own right. Being able to stand calmly and confidently before such powerful enemies took a strength of its own, and as such, Lahar vowed to defend his nation until the day he died.

With memories fading from his mind, Lahar grabbed the paper once more with a shaking hand. August Yura, a name combining those of the two men he met that day. There was no way it was a simply coincidence. This wizard, whoever he was, came from the Alvarez Empire. “No…it can’t be…” he whispered. Rising to his feet, Lahar rushed out of the room. He needed to find Doranbolt, to tell him of the danger. 

People saw his panicked state in the streets. In turn, citizens seemed to grow mildly alarmed, seeing the normally stoic rune knight running as if his life depended on it. He was going to the ruins of Fairy Tail again, where Doranbolt had to be waiting. His partner needed to hear what they were up against, if they were even going to stand a chance of being prepared. If it came down to it, they may even need to appeal to the Council once more, for a more powerful weapon to use against this black wizard.

Finally, Lahar arrived. He was out of breath, panting and leaning forward. Doranbolt was kneeling down within the rubble, with collapsed rafters and stone surrounding him as Lahar walked towards him. “Lahar, I was wondering when you’d realize how pointless those interrogations were.” he commented, lifting something up in his hand. Staring at it, Lahar’s eyes widened at the sight of a blackened flower, plucked from the rubble around Doranbolt. “All of our answers are right here, it seems. Looks like you were right, Fairy Tail should be responsible for those deaths. I’ve been searching these ruins ever since we got back from the shop, and to be honest, the only plants I’m finding are just as dead as those knights were back in town.”

Shaking his head, Lahar began to tremble in fear. “We’re too late…If what you’re saying is true, then they’ve managed to infiltrate our county.” he breathed, falling to his knees. His heart was pounding, and he felt like he was sweating through his robes. Doranbolt frowned, turning towards him in confusion. “One of my knights was given a fake name for their interrogation…a name that I recognized.”

“You know, if you recognize it, it isn’t entirely a fake name.” Doranbolt commented, crossing his arms over his chest as he rose to his feet. The scarred man moved closer to Lahar, watching him closely. “Still, I guess it isn’t entirely impossible. Did a Fairy Tail wizard stick around to cover up their tracks?”

Lifting his gaze towards Doranbolt, Lahar’s expression turned grave. “No, that isn’t it at all. This name, it isn’t a wizard from Fiore at all. He claimed to be August Yura…a combination of two names from the most elite of wizards within the Alvarez Empire. I fear that all of this…Fairy Tail, and these deaths, is the start of something big. Alvarez is beginning a war with us, Doranbolt. They’ve infiltrated one of our own guilds, and now, they are using those wizards to attack us from the inside out.”

Pressing his chin into his hand, Doranbolt seemed to grow thoughtful. “Accusations like that won’t help us, Lahar.” he stated quietly. “Even if it is true, we won’t be able to convince the Council of this. They banned war between guilds, and there’s no way they’ll accept the threat of a war from another nation, not without more proof. Which wizard do you think we’re dealing with?”

Thinking back between the two he had met, Lahar couldn’t say for sure. With the immense power in the room, it had been difficult to determine which one was the more powerful of the two. Still, something about the differences in their attitudes made him lean towards one over the other. “Between the two…I’d lean towards Invel Yura of the Spriggan Twelve. His cold calculating nature seems like just the thing for work like this, killing without thought just to cover the tracks of a fleeing guild. It would also explain the sudden change from passive to deadly we observed within Fairy Tail.”

“The Spriggan Twelve?” Doranbolt stated, his eyes wide. “I heard that they’re even stronger than the Ten Wizard Saints. Then again…dark magic spells like this one would have to be cast by a powerful wizard.”

“Keep this quiet, Doranbolt. You were correct that we need more evidence before presenting this to the Council. Do you think you can get closer to one of Fairy Tail’s wizards and look into this?” Lahar stated quietly, trying to regain his former calm. After talking about it, he seemed to be thinking a bit more clearly, but he still could feel worry growing within him, threatening to cause more panic.

The other wizard nodded, glancing back towards the rubble. “Yeah, I’m beginning to think that just might be our only way of winning this. With Natsu gone doing who knows what, we need someone on the inside to understand how this guild operates, and to get close to the black wizard responsible for killing those shop workers.”

With a new plan in mind, Lahar nodded. “Good. There are still a few wizards lingering in town, based on the reports I’ve been given. Find any of them, get close to them. Report back to me once you’ve learned something of value, Doranbolt. I’m counting on you, do not fail me. Failure now could result in the destruction of Fiore.”

Nodding, Doranbolt hurried down the street. Lahar watched him leave, sighing and turning back towards the destroyed home of Fairy Tail. Resting on top of the rubble, the blackened flower still remained, standing out in contrast to the whiteness of the stone. It looked unnatural and wrong in this setting, like the seed of betrayal that had been planted within Fairy Tail to begin with. They would find this rogue wizard, no matter what it took to get them. Lahar would keep Fiore safe; it was his duty and his mission to protect the strongest nation he had ever seen.


	15. Arrival in Clover

Clover was not far from Oshibana, but to Natsu, it felt like forever. The world around him was spinning, and he couldn’t see anyone. Voices were around him, sure, and he could smell people in the train, but each breath seemed to make his stomach lurch with the train. More shaking rattling the cart left him hunching over his seat, and for the entire ride, he was miserable and incapable of even moving from his spot.

Somehow, he found that he was quite upset with the girls around him. They kept gossiping about pointless things, and it irritated Natsu to hear Lisanna laughing so cheerfully. She had friends, and he should be happy for her, but he still couldn’t help but feel like she had abandoned him back then. Maybe he didn’t want to be friends with her again, but it still hurt seeing her with her new best friends, after forgetting about him when they were young.

When the train stopped, Natsu’s stomach was still churning. He remained with his cheek pressed against the leather seat of the train, lying down and taking up the entire train seat. He waited for his vision to clear and for him to feel like the world wasn’t moving again. “It has been a while since I’ve even read about operating a device such as this. Still, it appears as if we’ve made it to Clover unharmed.” August commented, coming out from the front cart to see the people within.

Groaning, Natsu tried sitting up. His arms flailed somewhat, but he ended up flopping right back down into the seat, still weak. The sudden motion of rising had made his stomach stir again, and his hand returned to his mouth with a grimace. “When is it gonna stop?” he complained, lolling his head over into the aisle.

A sigh was heard around him, making him find the strength to at least look up and find the source. August was kneeling near him, not quite close enough to touch but enough for Natsu to tell that the black wizard’s focus was on himself. “I am sorry, Natsu. Discomfort is a part of life, but that does not mean it is kind to force others into such situations.” he commented quietly.

Natsu thought it was strange, the way August spoke. For a guy so young, he really did sound like a wise old man. The thought made him grin, flashing a toothy smile at his companion. “Nah, this is nothing. It’s over now, at least.” He was even beginning to feel better. With his stomach no longer acting like it was going to explode, he actually felt great. Sitting up successfully this time, Natsu rose to his feet. “Now, where’s this demon I’m going to beat up?”

“Is this guy serious?” Cana asked, glancing towards him. “He was just sad to look at before, how can he be ready to fight so quickly?”

Shaking his head, August rose to his feet. “It is simply a part of his magic. In fact, based on the wizards we have here, he is likely the wizard best suited to truly battling anything at the moment. All of you are still low on magical energy after your fight with Eisenwald, and even if you have recovered, Mirajane is the only one among you who truly specializes in combat.”

“Hey, I’m not as weak as I look, you know.” Levy complained, leaning forward in her seat. “I can fight too, my magic is just fine for dealing with Lullaby.”

Lisanna glanced away, staring out the window. “Considering the fact that we were all beaten by mere dark wizards, I doubt we would stand a chance against Lullaby.” she stated. “I mean, the demon was created by…well, you heard what they said about it.”

Her voice trailed off, her gaze glancing at Natsu. Pressing his nose into his scarf, he scowled. He hated all of these secrets. These wizards were tiptoeing around him, and he hated having Lisanna do it more than anyone else. “Natsu, her secrecy has nothing to do with you.” he heard a quiet voice comment. 

Lifting his head, Natsu turned towards August. The quiet boy seemed to have noticed his irritation, and he was actually looking concerned. He still had yet to come up with a plan to show this guy that they were friends, but at least this was a start. “I don’t care! I hate all these secrets, what’s the big deal with them anyway?”

Raising an eyebrow at him, August’s expression began to become slightly amused. “You understood perfectly well before, I thought. We are becoming a dark guild and you are working with the Rune Knights. It is simply common sense for us to avoid divulging our plans to you.”

Glancing away, Natsu huffed and began to move to exit the train. He didn’t care about those Council idiots at this point. He was free, and while Lahar may take him back, Natsu valued friendship more than his freedom. True friends were worth any sacrifice, and right now, August was looking like he might be a friend that Natsu could stick around for a while. 

He didn’t look back to see if the others had followed, but the sound of footsteps told him that they were behind him. “Wait, you’re working with them?” Lisanna asked, sounding shocked. “Why? You knew I was a part of Fairy Tail. What reason could you possibly have for—“

Ignoring her questions, Natsu let August deal with them instead. “Enough, Lisanna. From what I’ve gathered, he merely joined them to gain his freedom and to find you. Natsu had been arrested, you see, and this was the arrangement he made to get pardoned for his crimes.”

The black haired boy glanced at Natsu, looking a bit wary. Natsu didn’t quite get why he was looking so worried, but it didn’t matter to him. Instead, he focused on trying to smell out any signs of the guild masters. After trying to join a few of their guilds, he had at least met some of them. He figured he would at least find something familiar, but he couldn’t seem to remember what any of them smelled like.

“That must have been hard.” Mira commented, looking worried as well. “You weren’t given any choice. If you wanted to see your family again, you had to help them find us.”

“I don’t have any family, at least, not any that’s around.” Glancing over, Natsu frowned again. That was another reason he had for wanting to stick near August, too. The guy knew about Igneel, and he even seemed to know where his dad had vanished to. “My dad vanished about seven years ago, and I’ve been alone ever since.”

“But, you were friends with Lisanna, weren’t you?” Mira stated, looking innocent with wide eyes.

He already saw where this was going and scowled, glancing towards August for help at first. Then, he realized that he hadn’t even asked the question he came to ask Lisanna in the first place. Well, maybe he had, but he definitely didn’t get an answer. “Yeah, like that changed anything. She just left, without any warning, like I didn’t even matter. Now, she won’t even tell me why.”

Lisanna turned towards August as well, biting her lip as she grabbed her arm. “I…I’m sorry, I really am. I can’t explain it, Natsu…I just…” she tried, but it was already sounding just like she had years ago.

“Interesting, I had assumed you’d tell him.” August commented, tilting his head slightly as he observed them. “If you won’t, then I suppose I can provide Natsu with at least a minimal explanation of the events that have left him so upset.”

The girl’s blue eyes went wide, staring at August in shock. “What? But, Natsu doesn't know…you said you didn’t…” she mumbled, looking a bit nervous.

“He doesn’t, however, that does not mean he is completely ignorant of me.” August replied, smiling towards the dragon slayer. “Years ago, Lisanna stumbled across me in the forest. I had been seeking solitude, a place to rest while my magic acted out against my will.”

Already imagining the situation, Natsu’s eyes widened in horror. If Lisanna had been near magic that killed as easily as August’s, she wouldn’t have stood a chance. “She found me in the aftermath, much like you did this morning. With no other options, I gave her the choice to either join my guild, or…well, let’s say I go to extreme lengths to keep myself hidden, if I do not trust the individual learning my secrets.”

So, the guy had planned to kill her if she didn’t join. The thought made Natsu angry, but for some reason, he couldn’t exactly blame the guy. He probably had the Council hunting him down at every moment of his life, so August didn’t have much of a choice. Lisanna hadn’t had a choice either, since August forced her to keep all of this hidden. Of course she’d join Fairy Tail after something like that, not only to save her own life, but to try and help August out. She always wanted to help others, and that was why she had been quick to befriend him back then too.

Blinking, Natsu realized something else that halted his path through the streets of Clover. “Wait…you trust me? I thought you said you didn't because of my position with the Rune Knights.” he commented, glancing towards August.

The others frowned as well, gazing between the two of them. Cana stepped forward, coming closer to Natsu with a sly grin. “Ah, so it is like that! Ha, I knew it, you two lovebirds can’t hide from me. Master, why didn’t you tell us you had a secret lover around?”

This time, it was August’s turn to stop, his black eyes hardening as he glared at Cana. “Be careful what insinuation you make, Cana. I’ve made it quite clear to Natsu that he is merely a tool for me to use, to aid me in our mission. Anything further is simply your imagination.” he warned, his tone dark.

Natsu blinked at him, once again confused. He just didn’t get this guy. One moment, he was claiming to trust him, and now, he was back to his whole treating people like pawns thing. “As for trusting you…it isn’t quite as simple as that. Once again, it is a story I cannot simply reveal on a whim, though.” he added, glancing towards Natsu.

“That’s kind of harsh, isn’t it?” Levy commented, looking concerned as she glanced between Natsu and August. “I mean, I get that you keep your distance from people, but that just sounds extreme.”

The black haired boy seemed ready to reply, when a blur came flying right at them. A ball of blue fur, crying in the sky was coming directly towards them. “I’ve gotta get back, I’ve gotta get the others so someone can stop that monster!” the cat was saying, before colliding with Natsu and blinking a few times. “Sorry…wait, Natsu?”

“Happy?” Natsu questioned, blinking just as Happy had done. Before long, he was grinning widely, grabbing the cat and plucking him off of his chest with ease. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, Happy was taking the place of our Master during the conference.” Mira stated, smiling over at him. “We tried telling Lahar that Happy was our third master…and the cat seemed to take his role a little too seriously. Even though the conference had already started, he took off to take his place within the meeting just after Lahar’s last visit to Fairy Tail.”

It didn’t really matter to Natsu, or to Happy. The cat was on the verge of tears, his head buried into Natsu’s chest as he clung to his old friend. “Natsu, I missed you! It’s been so lonely without you, and Lisanna never helps me catch any fish like you did.” he complained.

He had forgotten that Lisanna never really liked fishing much, but at least she was still spending time with Happy. “Tell you what, once we finish this job up over here, I’ll take you with me! We can go fishing as much as you want, and I’ll even cook the fish for ya.” Natsu promised.

Smiling, Happy nodded and hovered in the air again. “Right, but fish is better raw, Natsu. Honestly, why can’t you people understand that?” he mused, shaking his head. “First, there’s a giant monster in town, though! I think it wants to eat us.”

“Oi, couldn’t you have mentioned that first?” Cana complained, a hand on her hip. “I think a monster is far more important than your reunion with this stupid friend of yours.”

“Hey!” Happy complained, glaring over at her. “Natsu comes first, he can take care of the monster after all. With his fire magic, nothing can stop him!”

Turning towards August, Natsu smirked. “See? Even Happy agrees, I can beat up this demon with no problems.”

The other man sighed, worry making his eyes narrow slightly. “In its demon form, Lullaby is even more dangerous. Right now, the demon is in control of its song, rather than the person holding the flute. As a result, we could be killed in an instant.” he mused, glancing around at the others. “Levy, your magic can cancel out noise, correct?”

The bluenette grinned proudly, nodding at her master. “Sure can, just tell me when.” she insisted.

“At any sign of magic. I do not care if it seems harmless, or if the noise is cancelled pointlessly. Being safe is better in this situation, since hearing Lullaby’s song will result in a slow death.” August explained.

Moving through the streets, Natsu shrugged off those worries. He could beat that flute up before it even tried to play a single note, he was sure of it. Happy, however, looked somewhat doubtful. “Wait, is that what the monster does? Natsu, I don’t wanna die! You’ve gotta stop it, before it kills us and eats us all.”

Lisanna smiled, shaking her head at the cat. “Happy, I don’t think the demon wants to eat us…” she tried, but the cat was too focused on working with Natsu to pay attention to her.

“Sure thing, Happy. I won’t let anyone eat you. After all, you’re still my partner, right?” he questioned.

Glancing towards Lisanna, Happy hesitated for a moment. Then, he turned back towards Natsu and grinned. “Aye sir! Let’s go take that demon down, Natsu!” he insisted.

The dragon slayer took off running, with Happy leading him towards the conference hall. The Fairy Tail wizards followed shortly after, though Natsu didn’t look back to check. If he had, he may have seen the dark expression on August’s face, the look of a man who was enraged and determined to punish someone for what was happening. Either way, Natsu was just thrilled to finally have something to fight.


	16. Silent Song

Lullaby was awake, and once more, devastation would be unleashed upon the world. Zeref scowled in irritation as he followed swiftly after Natsu. Those dark wizards had no idea what forces they were messing with. He was going to show them just what happened when delving too far into dark magic. There was always a cost to pay, and for them, he would be the one to give them the bill.

That was his intention, anyway. For all he knew, Lullaby may have already slain the wizards responsible for breaking his seal. As they approached the conference hall, Zeref began to think that was likely the case. The demon was as massive as he remembered, towering over the building. People were screaming, trying to rush for safety away from the creature. Zeref felt one of them brush past his arm, but he didn’t even spare them a glance.

The guild masters had gathered before the demon, many of them attempting to hold it off. “Fools! My melody of death will destroy you all!” the demon insisted, cackling loudly.

Magical attacks flew from the hands of the master of Cuatro Cerberus, launching into the wooden-like armor of Lullaby. Other masters joined in, an onslaught of magic filling the sky as they attempted to keep the demon at bay. Colors flashed before Zeref’s eyes, hints of elemental magic of all kinds scattering in the air. The attacks came too quickly and mixed too well for him to identify any particular spell, but each projectile was directed towards the demon. “This thing is one of the demons of the books of Zeref! Who the hell was the idiot who unleashed it?” Goldmine questioned, glancing towards the other masters.

Without another warning, Natsu interrupted his irritation and jumped into the battle. “Ha, there’s the monster! I’ve got this covered.” he insisted, fire dancing around his fists as he jumped into the air. Lullaby glanced towards him, looking only mildly confused as Natsu’s fist came closer to its body. “Fire Dragon’s Iron Fist!” 

It looked like a decent attack, Zeref could admit that much. Against a normal wizard, it would have caused much damage. However, Lullaby was designed to be powerful and practically indestructible, so it could survive against his own magic should it lash out when Lullaby moved to end his life. That was how all of his demons had been designed and in retrospect, it appeared to have been a mistake. Natsu’s flames fumed out upon contact with the surface of the demon’s upper left shoulder. The pink haired boy looked surprised, his head lifting to see the demon’s right claw slashing out towards him. The dragon slayer was sent flying, back into the conference hall. The collision destroyed the entire wall of the building, while Natsu vanished from Zeref’s line of sight.

The guild masters turned to look at him, looking confused and startled by the newcomer to the battle. “What is this?” Master Bob of Blue Pegasus asked, a hand pressed to his cheek. “He’s quite eager, for one so young. Don’t tell me he’s one of your wizards, Goldy.”

Goldmine snorted, placing a hand on his hip as he glared towards the destruction. “Not a chance, my wizards know better than to cause so much damage while fighting a monster.” he insisted.

“Either way, he interrupted our work! We could have taken that demon down if it wasn’t for him.” Ooba complained, the master of Lamia Scale. The old woman huffed, turning back towards Lullaby. “The next time I see him, I’ll spin him for sure!”

“Levy, do it now.” Zeref stated quietly, seeing the distraction caused by Natsu’s attack. Lullaby was gathering energy to unleash its song. Zeref could feel the change in the air, the sensation of massive amounts of ethernano being drawn towards the demon.

The solid script wizard nodded, moving to stand by the other guild masters. Mira, Cana, and Lisanna joined her, stepping forward to join the battle. “All of you, this is just shameful.” Mira stated calmly, her gaze hard and focused. “This demon threatens the lives of everyone in this town, and you, the masters of all the guilds in Fiore, stand here arguing about someone trying to help. It is unforgivable, allowing such an evil to live on because you are all the people we look up to more than anyone else. If this is the future of official guilds, then I consider myself glad to no longer be a part of one of them.”

Her body began to transform, her innocent beauty turning into that of a dark demon, ready to attack. By her side, Levy stood ready for her magic, watching as Lullabiy laughed into the air. “Fools! All of you, wasting your time and believing you could destroy me. I will end you all!”

With that, air seemed to rush towards the holes scattered throughout the demon’s body. Looking fierce, Levy took the lead. “Solid Script: Silent!” she shouted, sending the words towards the demon. Everything went blank to Zeref’s ears as a result, the entire area falling under a hushed stillness. Levy’s word seemed to hover in the air, rising to rest above Lullaby’s form. It created a vacuum of space where no sound could penetrate. Cana seemed to try laughing at the sensation, but she stopped with wide eyes as she realized no sound came out. Watching the others, Zeref could see that even the guild masters were wary of the silence around them.

Lullaby did not react well, either. He attempted to scream at the wizards, but Levy’s spell had rendered all sound cancelled in an instant. While it was a temporary effect, it would do for now. Mira charged forward, her wings lifting her body into the air. When she neared Lullaby, she began creating a dark orb of magic in her hands. She unleashed a massive blast of dark energy towards the demon, silently shouting something into the air as she attempted to destroy Lullaby.

That was when Zeref realized the problem. He watched Lullaby, now enraged beyond belief, as it prepared to attack with its second ability. His curse power was the death song he was known for, but Lullaby also possessed the ability to use a destructive magical beam. Seeing it coming, Zeref charged forward, watching Lullaby open its mouth and lean towards the gathered wizards. Meanwhile, Natsu stumbled out from the building behind him, gazing at the battle with a frown. Just barely glancing at him, Zeref moved on, ignoring the sight of the boy’s mouth moving to try and speak in some form.

He knew the guild masters would react to his presence. Everyone he passed seemed to stare with wide eyes, incapable of believing what was before them. Cana attacked while he moved closer, her cards flying towards Lullaby while the demon prepared his own spell. Lisanna dove in as well, transforming into a bird at first to fly up high into the air, then adding weight to her fall by returning to her rabbit form. All of these attacks merely acted as a delay. None of them would stop the true power of this demon, at least, not entirely.

As Zeref moved to stand before Lullaby, he caught a glance of the dark wizards responsible. Collapsed on the grass behind the demon, Erigor and his other guild members remained. They stared at the creature in terror, scrambling away to save their own lives. Narrowing his own gaze, Zeref held a hand out to them, magic building within himself. They did not deserve to flee, not after what they had caused here. While Lullaby’s song was stopped, it had no doubt killed people already. More were likely injured from the demon’s strength. Wizards willing to unleash something like this upon the world, for no reason at all, did not deserve forgiveness. Zeref knew that all to well, being someone who had long passed the point of being pardoned for his crimes.

His eyes flashed red, black shadowy magic stretching out towards the Eisenwald wizards. They seemed to open their mouths in silent screams of terror, as the magic swallowed them hole. Erigor glanced towards Zeref, breathing out something in his final breath, before collapsing on the ground within the haze of black shadows. When the magic dissipated, all three dark wizards were dead, leaving just Lullaby left to deal with.

For a moment, everything seemed to have gone still after their deaths. Fairy Tail’s wizards had stopped fighting, glancing towards Zeref with wide eyes. Few ever witnessed his magic, even among his own guild members. It was rare for him to use it willingly like this, but they weren’t the only ones surprised. The guild masters seemed to have taken an unwilling step away from him, leaning back with fear in their gazes. Natsu stared at him with narrowed eyes, looking rather irritated for some reason. The dragon slayer came closer, grabbing Zeref’s shoulder and turning him to face Natsu.

The boy attempted to shout something, getting close to Zeref’s face with rage in his features. With the silence, the boy’s efforts really were wasted, but Zeref at least tried to determine what Natsu was trying to say. It was hard to tell exactly what he was saying, but it was easy to imagine why he was angry. He glanced away from Natsu, avoiding the dragon slayer’s gaze as he focused back on Lullaby. The demon seemed to have stopped as well, its red eyes gazing into Zeref’s back with an eerie focus.

In an instant, the moment shattered as Levy’s spell ended, her energy failing to prolong the spell any longer. “—idiot! You were upset about this before so—wait, I can hear myself again!” Natsu cheered, looking pleased. “Anyway, my point was—“ he began, but Zeref shook his head, moving towards Lullaby.

“Not now, Natsu. I am well aware of what I’ve done. This isn’t the first time I’ve willingly taken control of this power.” he stated calmly, glancing out of the corner of his eyes. The guild masters didn’t seem to know what to say, sharing looks amongst themselves.

“Spriggy, is that really you?” Bob asked, hesitantly glancing towards the man. “You haven’t changed a bit…how are you still so young?”

Ooba looked just as shocked, but Zeref ignored both of them. Lullaby’s halted spell only lasted so long. The demon was trying to stop it, it appeared, but Zeref knew it would not work, not when the spell was so close to being cast. “All of you, stand back.” Zeref ordered, stopping and turning to face Lullaby. He spread his legs apart, his arms held in front of him as he braced himself for the attack.

The beam was bright, filled with light as it finally emerged. Most of the wizards had listened to Zeref’s warning and had backed away, but Natsu seemed to be stubborn, standing practically right next to Zeref. He grimaced as he felt the heat from the dragon slayer’s body on his back, giving him something else to focus on besides simply absorbing the attack. Now, he had to divert it entirely, or the dragon slayer would die and render his previous plans ineffective against Acnologia.

He felt the blast hit his outstretched palms. To him, magic like this was a simple concept. The energy within was a part of his own magic, coming from a demon he had created. While it would resist to some degree, it was at its core, a part of himself. As such, Zeref could handle the magic spell as if it were his own to some degree. The beam was freezing, though, surprisingly cold as it touched his skin. In fact, it was cold enough to make his hands feel as if they were burning. That lasted for a brief moment, before numbness settled in and he lost the ability to truly feel if his fingers were well or not.

The white energy seemed to stop when it reached Zeref, though the sheer force created a massive wind that blew his hair back and ruffled his robes. Behind him, wizards watched with wide eyes at the sight of a single man taking a spell strong enough to destroy an entire mountain with ease. Strands of white light seemed to break off from the main stream, spilling out towards Zeref’s sides. Seeing them, he scowled and braced himself further, feeling his body begin to get pushed back by the spell. He bumped into Natsu as a result, feeling the dragon slayer stumble back and stare at him with wide eyes.

“Stop it, August! Just get the hell out of there!” he shouted into Zeref’s ear, making him flinch from the noise.

He disliked so many loud noises, though he thought he had gotten used to it after being in Fairy Tail for so long. Some things never changed, and noise still reminded him of large crowds, either dying from his curse or fleeing from him in terror. “If I do so, every wizard here will perish. Natsu, it is you who should flee.”

The dragon slayer huffed, glaring at him before taking a step back. “Fine, but only if you promise me one thing.” he insisted, leaning close. “After this is done with, you’ll admit that we’re actually friends!”

This boy couldn’t become any stupider, Zeref decided. Still, he couldn’t help but smile at the boy’s words. Something felt nice, having someone who was so insistent about truly caring for him after all of these years. Hatred was common, as was fear, but actually trusting and wishing to befriend him was rare in people lately. Fairy Tail didn’t even have that desire, not when he commanded them so harshly at times. Perhaps he was respected, but there was too much mystery within his past, and too much death, for any of them to truly wish to be around him for long.

“As you wish, Natsu. Do not blame me for the outcome of such an event, though. I warned you ahead of time what happens to anyone who gets close to me.” he stated, watching the dragon slayer nod and back away. He looked satisfied now, but Zeref didn’t have time to focus on it. The blast grew stronger at that moment, making him turn back towards Lullaby and the beam in his hands.

With a dark scowl on his face, Zeref stood straighter and glared at Lullaby. “You…you’ve disobeyed my wishes at every turn. I gave you life, yet you failed to meet my expectations.” he declared softly, seeing the demon’s eyes widen. Lullaby would hear the warning in his voice, the voice of the master it had abandoned long ago.

Grabbing a hold of the beam, Zeref finally managed to grasp the magic within its core. It had been so long since he’d fought against his demons, he had almost forgotten all of the tricks to manipulating their abilities. Now, the icy cold beam was within his control, at least, as much as it needed to be. He forced the ethernano gathering within Lullaby to unleash all at once, finishing the blast in one final moment. The force increased exponentially, magic swarming around his body as Zeref focused on containing it to a single area. It condensed into a sphere, collapsing on his body entirely and shaking the ground around him. 

Wizards could not see what was happening within, not with the brightness of the dark spell that had just been cast. “August!” Natsu shouted, rushing forward. Lisanna and Mira held him back, while Zeref collapsed within the blast. His entire body was frozen, the icy power burning his body and tearing holes through the robes he always wore. This pain was far greater than anything he had experienced in a long time, and it was a harsh reminder of the life he used to live. Constantly trying to end your own life nearly made you immune to pain like this, but his break from suffering made the pain almost unbearable.

When the light vanished, Zeref was lying down on his stomach, his head buried in the dirt of the ground. His clothes were tattered, and Lullaby was watching him with curious eyes. “Did I…did I finally destroy you? Ha, witness my power and cower, wizards! I have finally destroyed the great Lord Zeref!” With the cry of victory, everything seemed to grow dark for a moment. Zeref closed his eyes, his body in pain and on the brink of death yet again. He would deal with the problems later, he decided, when he felt better and more capable of battling further.


	17. Reluctant Truce

A few wizards gasped at the name Lullaby had spoken, staring at the boy on the ground with wide eyes. Natsu finally broke free of Lisanna and Mira, rushing forward to kneel by his side. Levy came as well, worry on her features as she studied his body. “These injuries…it doesn’t look good. I don’t know what kind of a spell that was, but I’d almost say this is frostbite, and it’s covering his entire body.” Levy stated quietly.

Zeref felt the warmth of her small hand on the back of his shoulder, peeling away some of his robes to inspect the damage. His eyes may still be closed, but he wasn’t asleep yet. “If that’s the case, I’ll just heat him back up!” Natsu insisted brightly, fire in his palm. The heat from the flames neared his back, Zeref noted, but Levy seemed to stop him soon enough. 

“Hey, that won’t help!” Levy insisted. “Frostbite isn’t healed through burns, you idiot.”

“Really?” Natsu asked, pausing for a few moments. The soreness in Zeref’s body was already fading, making him wonder how many moments longer it would take to heal. “Huh, I guess you’re right. Looks like his skin isn’t so black anymore.”

“Don’t you understand anything? Frostbite takes careful treatment and healers to—“ Levy began, before glancing down and gasping herself. “You…you’re right. How is this even possible?” While Fairy Tail might be aware of Zeref’s eternal youth, he had never been in a situation where his true immortality was revealed to them.

“Oh my, that demon was right.” Bob commented, stepping forward and glancing towards Zeref. “The Black Wizard Zeref, in the flesh. I did not realize the stories of your immortality were true.”

Rising to his feet, Zeref prepared himself to finish off Lullaby. He ignored the others for a moment, raising a hand towards the demon. However, things did not turn out quite as planned. His body moved beyond his control, suddenly twirling around on the ground at high speeds. The world blurred before his eyes, and he could no longer focus on a single thing before him. Part of him began to feel sick, making him glad he didn’t have dragon slaying magic to add to the effect.

“I’ve got him now! I’ll spin you to death, black wizard!” Ooba stated, scowling at him. “By the time you’re done spinning, the Council will be here to take your sorry self out of our sights. This demon destroyed our conference hall, and now, you’ve destroyed the very ground Clover stands upon. We’ll show you the might of true wizards, for deceiving us with your lies!”

Something happened to the woman, making Zeref’s body suddenly stop spinning. He stumbled forward a bit, uneasy on his feet at first. Nearly falling face-first into the ground, Zeref felt arms reach over and catch him. Levy gave him a small smile, helping him rise back to his feet. Almost immediately afterwords, Zeref pushed her away and stepped back. Glancing behind him, Zeref saw Natsu standing above Ooba, a fist hovering in the air. “Hey, stop messing with my friend! He’s trying to help, you idiot!” he shouted, surprising the guild masters.

“Aye! You show ‘em, Natsu. Get them for what they did to Master!” Happy shouted, flying above his companion’s head. 

Shaking his head, Zeref slowly moved back towards his demon. Having been in his way, Levy turned and walked towards the other Fairy Tail wizards, worry on her face as Zeref focused once more on Lullaby. “Master, please! Let me serve you again, I promise I can still be of use to you!” the demon begged, but Zeref was already tired of all of this. He waved his hand through the air, the demon vanishing from sight and reverting into its original form. A book fell from the sky, landing on the crater that remained in the ground after Lullaby’s spell.

Goldmine moved forward quickly, before Zeref could react. The guild master picked up the book, waving it in the air with a grin. “Now, did you really think we’d let you off so easily? Lullaby may be gone, but you’re still the darkest wizard ever known to exist. I had to admit, I always wondered about you, especially when you stopped showing up to our conferences. I guess we all know why now.” he commented.

“Yes, he is a despicable man! I say we spin him some more!” Ooba insisted, raising her hand threateningly.

Bob stopped her, shaking his head. “Well, he did help stop his demon. Honestly, I thought Zeref was dead for years. He can’t be doing things that are that bad if everyone thinks he’s gone.” the master insisted.

“Everything you’ve heard about my past…I promise you, it is all true.” Zeref stated darkly, holding his hand out towards Goldmine. “That book is not something to play with, Goldmine. Dangerous things bring about painful repercussions if not dealt with properly.”

Blinking over at him, Natsu seemed to pause. “Wait…they’re actually right? You are that Zeref?” he commented. “That doesn’t make sense! That guy made a bunch of demons and…oh, now I get it. Huh, I guess it sorta does make sense.”

Unsure of Natsu’s mindset at the moment, Zeref simply nodded and continued focusing on the other masters. Behind them, Lisanna, Mira, and Cana were looking ready to fight. Levy remained near them, holding her hands close to her chest as she bit her lip. Natsu stood beside Ooba, looking uncertain of where to go. In front of Zeref, Goldmine stared at his open hand before shaking his head, pulling the book closer to himself. “Why should I? This is your demon, giving it back to you means you’ll cause more havoc for the world,” Goldmine replied, also ignoring Natsu.

“I intend on destroying Lullaby once and for all. Those dark wizards were never meant to break the seal I placed upon my demon,” Zeref stated, his gaze harsh and dark. “Lullaby…I had hoped that I could strengthen it one day, but I have other plans that are far more important to attend to. Its power is inadequate, and I no longer find it useful to have around.”

Another master stepped forward, one who had remained a quiet observer thus far. “This is just wonderful to see…Master of Fairy Tail.” Dressed in a long dark purple jacket, a man with dark red hair stepped forward. He had a thin mustache, with long eyebrows stretching up to the corners of his forehead. His jacket was open, leaving a white shirt and red tie visible underneath. The tie was attached with a pendant, the familiar symbol of the wizard saints resting on the medal. “That guild has fallen further down than I had originally thought.”

This was someone Zeref recognized, a face from a past he would rather forget. Jose, the master of the Phantom Lord guild, the son of Geoffrey who had led Blue Skull against Mavis long ago. “If you think we’ve fallen low, I’ll show you just who you’re messing with.” Cana stated from behind him, giving him a slight smirk. “I’ll take you and your wizards anytime, if you think you’re ready.”

“Cana, enough.” Zeref stated, focusing on the man before him. “This is an old grudge, passed on for generations. Tell me, do you share Geoffrey’s anger towards Fairy Tail?”

Laughter was Jose’s response. His shoulders shook as he crossed his arms over his chest, giving Zeref a smile. “Nonsense, mere grudges wouldn’t warrant a battle between two of the most powerful wizards ever to exist.” he insisted.

Narrowing his eyes, Zeref slowly began to smile himself. “Most powerful? That, I assure you, is false. If I’ve learned anything in my long time of being alive, it is that there is always someone stronger in existence. For every individual fighting for justice, a villain will rise to conquer them and force them to perish. From the ashes, another hero rises, and the cycle begins anew. Tell me, Jose, are you my hero? Or am I the villain destined to destroy you?”

His calm demeanor seemed to startle the other guild master, leaving Jose staring at him with wide eyes. “You—you can’t be serious? Are you trying to tell me that there is another wizard with more power than you? You are centuries old! You’ve created life itself, and you kill just as easily! Only the gods have such power, thus you must be the most powerful wizard in the world.”

At the mention of gods, Zeref’s gaze darkened and turned harsh. For a brief moment, his eyes turned red again, before he calmed enough for the black to return to his eyes. “Perhaps, though it would be hard to be certain. A battle between us…well, I don’t think the world would survive such an event.” he mused. His words could be misinterpreted, but his mind had wandered elsewhere. Acnologia, the enemy that had been created long ago. Zeref didn’t know which of them was a villain in this story, to be honest, and which was the hero. He killed anything he touched, and Acnologia openly sought out chaos and destruction. In a way, they were merely competitors for the spot as the villain, with the true hero undetermined.

“Wait a second, just what wizard are you talking about?” Goldmine demanded, glaring at him. At least one person realized Jose was not the individual Zeref feared battling. “I’ve never heard of another wizard with power like yours.”

Closing his eyes, Zeref sighed and shook his head. “History tends to overlook him, forgetting his actions every time they occur. Once he is seen, an era will undoubtedly end, and tragedy will follow. To be honest, I have not encountered him in recent years, but I know he is alive.”

“If he’s that powerful, shouldn’t someone try to stop him?” Bob questioned, looking worried. “It sounds like this other wizard is more of an issue than the dormant black wizard in front of us, if you ask me.”

“No, there is no other wizard!” Jose insisted, glaring at Zeref. “He’s just trying to distract you all. Zeref must be destroyed, along with the guild he’s tainted with his dark magic. They’re all black wizards now, I’m sure of it!”

His panic did not seem to help his case, but it did make the others pause. “I don’t know…either way, we’re in a rough spot right now. Either we fight an immortal black wizard who can kill people an in instant, or we let him go and we all get to live another day. If you ask me, it doesn’t matter if this other wizard is real or not, none of us would even survive if we began a fight now.” Goldmine commented, shaking his head.

“That is a wise statement, Master Goldmine.” Zeref stated calmly. Glancing towards Bob, he nodded slightly “As for stopping this other wizard, a plan was put into motion centuries ago. I do believe our hero will be rising soon to face him.”

Bob folded his hands in front of his lap, smiling at Zeref. “Well, so long as someone’s trying, I know we’ll figure it out soon enough. As for you, don’t go around becoming as dark as you used to be, Spriggy. I would hate to have to send my wizards after you on some job, after all of the good times we shared.”

Zeref could not recall what the other master was talking about, but he decided it wasn’t all that important. Goldmine stepped forward, thrusting the book towards Zeref with a glare. “Don’t go around making more of those monsters, either. We’ve got enough problems to deal with without having to clean up the messes you make.”

“Can’t any of you see it? He’s the Black Wizard Zeref, he’ll destroy us all. Fairy Tail must be stopped, and I’ll make sure my guild is the one to do it. As the most powerful guild in all of Fiore, it is our destiny to destroy Fairy Tail.” Jose insisted, rushing forward as Zeref reclaimed the Book of Lullaby.

Stepping forward, Cana grinned and draped an arm over Jose’s shoulders. She pressed herself close to his side, leaning close to him before speaking. “Tell you what. If you wanna fight Fairy Tail, come find us one day. We’ll be waiting in the shadows for you to attack. After all, we’re a dark guild now, so who knows what we’ll be doing?”

“D-d-dark guild? Since when?” Jose demanded.

Smiling, Zeref stepped past him. Levy followed after him, and Natsu turned to leave as well. “Since the Rune Knights demanded to know who had replaced me as Fairy Tail’s master. After all, people simply don’t live to be over a hundred years old, now do they?”

The amused look on his face only deepened as Jose sputtered for a response. The other masters looked away as Fairy Tail began to leave Clover again, with Natsu following behind. “Hey, Zeref!” Natsu stated, making him blink and frown towards him. The boy was grinning, crossing his arms over his chest. “You didn’t forget about our deal, did you?”

Sighing, Zeref nodded. “Of course, though I did not imagine it would be quite so important to you.” he mused. Lifting the book in his hand, Zeref hesitated before holding it out towards Natsu. “Very well. As your friend, allow me to grant the wish you had when we first journeyed to Clover. While Lullaby is not nearly as powerful in this form, you are more than welcome to destroy him.”

Smirking, Natsu lit his hand on fire and held it out to the book. The flames swallowed the pages, smoke filling the air as it burned away. The demonic lettering in the book became nothing but ash, leaving one less demon free in the world. “Alright, now let’s get going! I’ve gotta get back to Magnolia before Lahar comes tracking me down for running off alone.”

A light smile formed on Zeref’s face. He wished things could be as peaceful as Natsu seemed to think they would be. The boy had an optimism that was almost contagious, making him think that maybe Natsu would survive their friendship. That was before he remembered that he was in fact immortal. Even if his curse didn’t steal away Natsu’s life, time surely would. The only way for Natsu to survive as long as he had would be for him to become like Acnologia, and that was something Zeref would not allow to happen, not when Natsu had so much brightness that would be burned away in an instant with the transformation.


	18. Hidden Sense of Justice

Things were not going well with the investigation. Lahar had no leads, and despite everything he had come to learn, there were no hints of August from the people within town. He had slept on everything he had learned, and now, three days had passed with no news about it. His rune knights had been scavenging the town for any hints of the two men Lahar had described, yet no signs of either August or Invel were seen.

Now, Lahar was growing irritated and exhausted. Even Natsu, their tracker, had vanished from sight. He wished the boy was still here, considering the dragon slayer’s skill. It would be put to great use in trying to track this man down, but there were no signs of the boy or his return. Soon, he would be sending someone to track Natsu down and arrest him once more, for insubordination. That boy was more trouble than he was worth, and Lahar knew he shouldn’t have trusted him.

Today, he was returning to Fairy Tail’s guild hall, with one of his officers by his side. It was a shorter man, a bit heavyset with bright green eyes. The man was even older than Lahar, but despite his age, he had joined the rune knights late in his life and had failed to get the promotions offered to the more ambitious members of their unit. Still, the officer, Marvin, was quite a skilled knight, and with Doranbolt busy tracking down Fairy Tail’s wizards on his own, Lahar had to rely on others for aid. 

Rubbing the back of his head, Marvin glanced nervously over at Lahar. “This isn’t about my mistake, is it sir? I didn’t realize that August fellow was a threat.” he questioned as they walked through the streets. 

Shaking his head, Lahar kept his expression passive. “No, though any information you have on August would be useful. You may have been the one to interrogate him, but with all of the work laid upon our unit at once, it must have been too overwhelming. I should have been here to supervise the interrogations, but unfortunately, I had to provide the Council with my report.” Lahar insisted.

The man looked relieved, smiling slightly. “Well, that’s good to hear.” he commented. “I’ve lost too many jobs in the past, I don’t think I could find another if I was fired from the rune knights. The pay is good, and it at least lets me live in comfort when we aren’t on a job.”

Frowning, Lahar remained silent. He wasn’t one to listen to people’s personal lives, especially when it was the lives of his co-workers. “Anyway,” Marvin continued, smiling brightly. He talked far too much for Lahar’s tastes, but it was fine so long as work got done. “August was a strange young man. I thought it was odd for someone so young to be living alone, to be honest, but I guess stranger things have happened. He had a funny way of speaking too, all proper and polite unlike most of the people out in these parts. The only time he even hesitated to answer a question was when I asked for his name, and it wasn’t even enough of a hesitation to make me question his honesty.”

“That’s all? Did you even think to ask him why he believed he was the first person to the scene?” Lahar questioned, turning towards Marvin. “It is basic logic. With all of the chaos around, few would be so confident in such a fact. People were rushing towards and away from the former guild hall all day, it would be impossible for your average citizen to be certain of if anyone had arrived before them.”

The man shrugged, looking a bit unconcerned. “Well, maybe he was simply an early riser. Most people are quite honest, I don’t get why you other knights can’t trust folks these days. It didn’t seem important to drag in the man’s personal life, not when he hadn’t seen anything important.” Marvin insisted. “Besides, I think there’s bigger news than that fellow floating around at the moment. Did you hear about what happened in Clover?”

Sighing, Lahar began to realize the futility of keeping this man on topic. For some reason, Marvin had always been like this. He found one subject interesting for about five minutes at most, before moving on to talk about something else. Getting reports from the man was a tedious task, one which made Lahar nearly request to have Marvin reassigned to a different enforcement unit. Still, other units would be harsher on the man, and Marvin already had quite a lonely life. He had never been able to find a wife, having been too focused on his dream of becoming a famous guild wizard when he was younger. Now, he had that dream unfulfilled, as his magic was too weak to actually be of use on most wizard’s jobs.

Marvin specialized in illumination magic, a strange thing to see. While the man could sense magical power with ease, his own magic seemed isolated to creating lights of varying degrees of brightness. Sometimes, he could even alter their color. In battle it was quite pointless, unless used as a distraction while working with a team. 

The man was still rambling as they walked, though Lahar continued to try tuning out his voice. “A demon showed up and attacked the guild masters! I heard that it was a monster made by Zeref himself. Even stranger yet, I heard it was stopped by a dark guild. Rumors have it that this guild was being led by an invincible black mage, capable of killing the demon with a single spell. At least, that’s what I heard from my friend within Lamia Scale. You know, that guild has always been a favorite of mine, with Jura being a member. His power is so great, I could never hope to compete—“

“Marvin, could you please focus for a moment? We are nearing the ruins of Fairy Tail. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find something I had missed when I was here the other day.” Lahar stated quietly, interrupting his rant.

The rune knight nodded, smiling bashfully as he chuckled at his own actions. “Right, sorry. I’m used to being the only one filling the silence, you know? No family back home, so I’ve got to entertain myself somehow, and that’s why I always listen in to the rumors I hear. There’s always a grain of truth buried deep within them, that much I am certain of.” he insisted.

Narrowing his eyes, Lahar glanced towards the man whose cheeks turned pink from the glare. “Right, sorry. You know, I’m not this bad when working alone, but I guess that’s ‘cus I’ve gotten used to the quietness of being alone.” he added, this time shutting his mouth when Lahar’s expression turned into a glare. Marvin quickly moved forward, towards the rubble with his hand held out before him. A light flickered to life above his palm, a bright yellow sphere that made things even brighter than they were under the sunlit sky.

Lahar wasn’t expecting much from this venture, to be honest. They had thoroughly inspected the ruins before, trying to gain any information about where the wizards may have gone after leaving their home. Now, standing before them again, Lahar couldn’t help but feel as if they were missing something important. There had to be some hint, something more than a few dead flowers indicating their connection to the massive empire overseas.

Walking closer, Lahar froze and stared in shock at the person sitting on one of the broken rafters, his arms crossed over his chest and his feet flat on the ground. “There you are! Man, I’ve been waiting forever for you guys. What happened? I told ya I’d be back after I found the source of that strange smell before.” Natsu demanded, narrowing his eyes at Lahar. His gaze glanced over towards his companion, grinning slightly at the rune knight. “Hey, I’m Natsu. I’m here to track down these wizards who seem to think they can get away with running from the Council.”

Marvin stepped forward, smiling as he snuffed out the light in his hand and shook Natsu’s extended arm. “It is a pleasure to meet you. I didn’t realize we had a new recruit amongst us, are you enjoying your time so far?”

Sighing, Lahar pushed his glasses further up his nose. “He is not a new recruit, Marvin. In fact, he was recently arrested for the destruction of the docks and ships at the port city of Hargeon.” he insisted.

“That was him?” Marvin asked, looking interested rather than upset by the news. “Wow, you must be a powerful wizard, then. You probably could have gotten in to any guild you wanted with power like that. I heard it was a monster that destroyed the port, but you can’t go around believing everything you—“ he rambled again, but Natsu cut him off by rising to his feet and covering his mouth with his hand.

“Man, do you ever stop talking?” he complained, rather bluntly. “Sure, I destroyed a few ships, but I didn’t mean to. I was trying to get the guy who wanted to sell those girls as slaves in Bosco.”

“Well, I guess you really do belong with us, then.” Marvin mused. “Sure, you did some damage, but you were trying to help deliver justice. In my mind, that makes you as good of a candidate for the rune knights as anyone else.”

“Marvin, that is enough.” Lahar ordered, done listening for now. Focusing on Natsu, he scowled deeply at the man. “Natsu, you’ve neglected to perform your duties. You vanished upon arriving in town, and we have not seen you in four days. After being pardoned for your crimes, I expected more from you. What do you have to say for your recent actions?”

“Come on, I had to find that weird smelling guy! It was bothering me the whole time I was here, I couldn’t focus on anything else.” Natsu insisted, smelling the air again. “At least I know what caused that smell now. Maybe I’ll be able to focus on finding the wizards instead now that I talked to that weird guy.”

Lahar froze, his eyes wide as he stared at Natsu. “Weird guy? Don’t tell me…Natsu, have you heard anything about what has happened in Magnolia since you left?”

The dragon slayer shrugged, kicking around a few pebbles out of boredom. “Nah, I’ve been kind of busy. I made a few new friends, and promised to help them out for a bit. Sorry I got sidetracked, but I wasn’t going to just abandon a guy who needed my help.” He glared slightly, pouting somewhat as he gazed off towards the city. “Still didn’t stop him from sending me away, though. The idiot doesn’t even understand how friends are supposed to work, but I guess I’ll figure out how to show him one day.”

“A black wizard has appeared in town, Natsu. This wizard proves to be far more dangerous than any dark wizard we’ve faced before, and whoever it is has already killed at least four people.” Lahar stated darkly, glaring over at the dragon slayer. Natsu looked away, avoiding his gaze as Lahar continued. “Doranbolt has moved to try and infiltrate Fairy Tail himself, but with no luck. Here, at the ruins of their guild, we’ve discovered traces of the same magic used to kill all of the victims of this black wizard. Either Fairy Tail was destroyed by this wizard, or they are allied with him in some form.”

When Natsu still didn’t answer, Lahar sighed and closed his eyes for a brief moment. “It is dangerous to be running around alone right now, especially for one as young as you. Don’t run off again, Natsu. It would be irritating to have to file the paperwork necessary to report your death while on a mission for the Magic Council.”

“Right.” Natsu stated, huffing with irritation. “I can take care of myself, but I guess I’ll stick around for now. After all, we did have a deal.”

“Yes, we did.” Lahar stated. Marvin stepped forward again, lighting up the ruins as he inspected the rubble closely. “Don’t forget it, Natsu. Right now, we are looking for more clues within the guild hall. If you…smell anything out of the ordinary, inform me immediately.”

The boy seemed to understand, nodding in agreement. Still, something seemed different about Natsu now. He was quieter, less assertive on getting into a fight with the rogue wizards. Lahar found it odd, but perhaps he had simply come to understand his place among their group. “Well, I don’t blame you for running off. It must be nice, making new friends. I always tried to make some myself, but people don’t usually like me that much. I talk too much…plus, I’ve got a bit of a temper and I tend to forget things.”

“Please don’t tell me you questioned the citizens in this manner, Marvin.” Lahar stated, seeing another tangent on the verge of starting.

The rune knight lifted a piece of debris and pushed it aside, shaking his head. “Not at all, though I did miss a few questions at times. I’m a bit absent minded, so I skipped around a bit on the questions we were supposed to ask. In fact, I nearly forgot to ask that August fellow his name. I guess it’s a good thing I remembered, right? Otherwise, we never would even have a clue about who this black wizard was.”

Nodding, Lahar only barely noticed the stiffening of Natsu’s shoulders. Something truly was wrong with the boy, but Lahar had no idea what it could be. “Right, well, if you aren’t finding anything—“ he began, but Marvin seemed to have stopped, picking away further at the debris in front of them. They were in the center of the former guild hall, and Lahar wanted to pull the man away from whatever distraction he had found in the rubble.

Instead, Natsu knelt by his side and sniffed the air. The boy’s eyes seemed to narrow for a moment, before he sighed and shook his head. “I think…I think we should stay away from that. Don’t know what’s down there but it smells like that weird guy from before, the friend I was telling you about.” He sniffed the air again, shaking his head as he turned towards Lahar.

Marvin shook his head, grinning widely. “I don’t care who it smells like, this is the first time I feel like I’ve been useful in this city. There was a lingering magical energy around this area, stronger than it was throughout the rest of the guild. From what I can tell…I think there’s a hidden door under all of this. See these markings?”

The rune knight was pointing to a broken floorboard, still stuck to the foundation of the building. It was scratched and holes were present within, but something almost seemed to be carved on the surface. A strange circle, with runes speaking of energy and illusion seemed to stand before him. Whoever had created this hadn’t based the magic circle on any spell known before, which shocked Lahar. Only an incredibly advanced wizard, with in-depth knowledge of the intricacies behind how magic worked would be able to create such a spell from memory.

Touching it, Lahar tried to read its intent. “An illusion of some form…but it is more than that. This spell is meant to hide not only something from the visual eye, but from any senses available to a person. It masks magical auras, and it prevents entry without first dispelling the illusion.” he mused.

“See? I told ya, we don’t have to mess with that stuff. Come on, let’s look over here instead.” Natsu tried, attempting to move away.

Lahar rose to his feet, glaring at the dragon slayer and crossing his arms over his chest. “What is this about, Natsu? From what I’m hearing, I am beginning to think you are protecting Fairy Tail for some reason. Do you know what is down there? Or are you simply too oblivious to see the dangers of what could happen, with such powerful wizards joining the ranks of the dark guilds?”

Turning away, Natsu ran a hand through his hair. “No, I get that! I don’t wanna see Fairy Tail become a dark guild…but….damn it, I can’t explain it!” he complained, throwing his arms down and glaring at the floor. “Look, I’ve got my own reasons, alright? I’ll still do my job and hold up my end of our agreement. However, I’ve got another promise to keep, and I don’t plan on breaking it any time soon. got it?”

Unsure of what to make of his outburst, Lahar glanced over towards Marvin. “Don’t look at me. I have a bit of experience with magic like this, but even I have no idea what Fairy Tail is hiding down here.” he commented.

Kneeling back down, Lahar moved on and began focusing on the magic imbedded into the floorboards. “Very well. So long as you keep your word to us, I suppose it does not matter if you are protecting their secrets or not. Be warned, should you be found to be aiding Fairy Tail, you will join them in their punishment, Natsu Dragneel.” Lahar warned.

The dragon slayer nodded, crossing his arms over his chest as he narrowed his gaze at Lahar. “Fine.” he agreed, frowning. “You aren’t going to find anything, though. Even if you break through…I doubt there’ll be anything there.”

“What makes you so certain?” Lahar questioned, thinking about Natsu’s attitude for a moment. He did so while meditating slightly, reaching out with his senses towards the magic circle binding the area. It was odd, the way the energy seemed to be woven so tightly and with a delicate hand. Each strand of energy seemed to strengthen the layers of magic within, deeply covering up whatever was hidden within the guild hall. The spell itself was faint in energy as well, almost hiding itself just like the underlying secrets within. Whoever created this had done so perfectly, but Lahar was not ready to give up in freeing these secrets and finding out what was within.

As he worked towards unraveling each strand of energy, slowly illuminating the area in a white light, he began wondering just who could create such a spell. Fairy Tail’s wizards were skilled, but he had not heard of one capable of using magic circles to this degree. Illusion magic was tricky as it was, and the only wizard known throughout the history of Fairy Tail to use it was their first master. 

Lines began to form in the air, a physical manifestation of the energy Lahar was working with. The circle on the ground seemed to glow itself, white light filling the lines carved into the wood. Considering another possibility, Lahar wondered if Mystogan might be responsible. He knew little about the man’s magic, but the reclusive member of the guild was rumored to be skilled with some form of magic utilizing circles. Still, it did not quite seem to fit. 

When he finished unraveling the spell, his eyes went wide in realization. It wasn’t any of them, not in reality. If it was a skilled wizard, one who understood the conceptual aspects of magic, it was likely the same wizard who killed all of those people in the magic shop. With the way Natsu was acting, it was almost as if the boy knew who was responsible as well.

Turning towards his partner, Lahar rose to his feet as the door by his feet was revealed. “You know who killed them.” he breathed, his eyes wide. “The same person who created this illusion…they are the black mage responsible for their deaths. It only makes sense, that a wizard skilled in an unrecognizable magic was capable of using it…because they created it themselves. Much like this circle, their death magic is of their own creation.”

The dragon slayer glanced away, clearly trying to avoid answering. Either way, it told Lahar enough to understand what the boy had done. “Wait, he’s working with that guy? Man, I thought Natsu was a good guy. Well, I guess we’ve gotta bring him back to Era, don’t we? I mean, he’s an accomplice now, for hiding all of this from us.” Marvin was saying, but Lahar was busy trying to figure out why the boy had done this.

“Come on, let’s just get this over with.” Natsu stated, sounding irritated as he unceremoniously yanked the hatch open. It flopped over onto the ground with a bang, the wood smacking against the rubble as a staircase was revealed. Inside, the stairs seemed far more stable than the former building, a secret basement that Lahar had never heard of existing beneath this guild. “Whatever you may think, I’m not going around condoning people killing each other. Like I said, I made someone a promise, that’s all there is to it. If you wanna arrest me for helping out a friend, go ahead.”

“I want a yes or no answer, Natsu. Do you know the black wizard responsible for killing those present in the magic shop four days ago?” Lahar demanded.

Taking a step into the basement, Natsu paused. He turned over his shoulder, glaring at Lahar as his gaze seemed to grow defiant for a moment. “Yes.” he stated, revealing nothing more. “And I can promise you, he’s the one person I won’t help you find.” The dragon slayer took the lead, moving into the basement as Lahar and Marvin stared with wide eyes. “Besides, I don’t even think you’d want to find him. He’s…got a few problems, and not many people would understand what he’s going through.”

Lahar knew how he should react. He was supposed to arrest this boy, for protecting a known criminal and threat to their society. From there, he would be brought before the Council for a trial, and questioned to discover the true identity of this wizard. However, something about the way Natsu’s voice seemed to soften slightly made Lahar hesitate. Natsu was not a cruel person, and while he may be destructive, he did understand the difference from right and wrong. The dragon slayer knew the evils behind taking a life, yet he was protecting this murderer. Staring at the back of his head, Lahar began to follow after Natsu. He would let the dragon slayer remain free for now. That way, he could discover just what this black wizard had done to gain so much trust from a man with a strong sense of loyalty and justice.


	19. Goals of a Dark Guild

Zeref did not know if he made the right decision, forcing Natsu to return to Magnolia. The dragon slayer had argued endlessly against it, but unfortunately, Zeref’s logic was hard to reason against. With the fact that Fairy Tail was going dark, and the agreement Natsu had with the Council, he had few other options. Joining Zeref would only cause him more suffering in the future, and that was something Zeref did not want to cause his supposed new friend.

Now, however, he was beginning to feel the stress of settling in to a new routine. Finding Eisenwald’s guild hall had been simple. Laxus and the thunder legion had been waiting for them when they arrived. He still remembered the man’s reaction to seeing him walk in, with Cana, Mira, Levy, and Lisanna at his side. “There you weaklings are. What took you guys so long?” Laxus had complained.

Shaking his head, Zeref sighed and let the memory fade away. Ever since meeting Natsu, he found himself thinking more and more about his past. Days had passed, and the guild seemed to be settling in to their new home. While they were moving forward, Zeref felt as if he was still trapped in some form. He didn’t belong here, not like everyone else did.

The new guild hall was part of his dark mood, he supposed. Unlike the former home of Fairy Tail, this building was darker in nature. It resided in a desolate landscape, already surrounded by trees that had long died from a lack of nutrients in the soil. The building was made of stone, with moss creeping along the base of the building and turning the color from gray to black in some sections. 

Inside, the building wasn’t much brighter. A lack of windows blocked out any chance of sunlight, leaving the entire building lit by scarce lacrima within. The main room looked like a massive dining hall, with a single, long, rectangular table encompassing the main floor. A fireplace was lit on the left side of the room, with a counter for serving drinks and food on the opposite side. A staircase led downstairs, into a dark basement that smelled of mold and something rotten. Likely, Eisenwald had used the basement to hold prisoners or victims from their missions. It had been a slaughter house down there, and the stains on the ground only emphasized that idea.

A door from the main room led to the main hallway. Lining the hall were doors, all of which led to nearly identical bedrooms. As a dark guild, wizards needed to stick together so lodging was included in their guild halls. It didn’t surprise Zeref to find them, however, there was a different aspect of the guild hall that did. At the end of the hall had been a massive, spiral staircase. It led to a floor high up in the guild hall, and the entire floor was designated as a massive library. Books filled with stories on magic filled the room, though many of them focused on dark magic, ancient artifacts, and powerful spells from history. A few were more fanciful tales, used to pass time with fictional nonsense, but Zeref focused on the factual books.

This was where he found himself spending most of his time. While the other guild members adjusted to the new main meeting room, gathering together at the large table within, Zeref locked himself upstairs with a book. He would sit on the floor, since no tables existed within to rest at, and read books endlessly. For the past three days, he had spoken to no one, and simply read to try and distract his restless thoughts.

Natsu was an interesting boy, but it would be best to forget about him. Despite their agreement, he knew that he could not be friends with anyone, especially not a dragon slayer. Risking one of their lives would be unforgivable, after all of the work he put in to his plan to use them against Acnologia. Still, he couldn’t help but a feel a longing he hadn’t felt since Mavis died. He wanted a friend, someone he could talk to about his problems without harming anyone.

It was a futile wish, which was why he found himself scrambling to look through books. Focusing his mind on magical theories and the research of Eisenwald made him think on things other than his own desires. The more he realized the impossibility of finding friendship, the more he fell into a darker depression. He already desired his own death; going further down this path would only make him hasten his plans to force it to occur. 

Setting another book by his side, Zeref sighed and reached for another journal from the pile to his right. He had established a system of sorts for his reading. He gathered up a pile of books that intrigued him when he first woke up in the morning. Then, he would sit by the wall, deep in the corner of the library away from the staircase that led to the room. One pile of unread books would rest on his right, while his left slowly filled with a pile of books he had finished. After living for centuries, his reading speed was faster than any other mortal’s, and it made it easy for his system to work for his research.

At the moment, he was ignoring most published works. He had read many books on magical theory before, but what was interesting him was Eisenwald’s goals. As a dark guild, they were rather small and unimportant in the grand scheme of things. They worked as a satellite guild for Oracion Seis, and most of their goals were simply focused on surviving. A few members had personal vendettas, such as Erigor’s desire to destroy official guilds, but the master had no true direction for them to take.

Unfinished projects were the result, many ideas that had been started but never finished. At one point, they had looked into overthrowing Oracion Seis and joining the Baram Alliance. That plan seemed to have gone almost no where, with only one page of notes on a single member of their head guild. Cobra had apparently intimidated them too much, and that left Zeref disappointed in their lack of conviction.

Another project discussed a common theme among dark guilds. The master had wished to revive Zeref, the Black Wizard. Using his power, they would unleash devastation upon the world and rule over wizards and non-wizards alike. He had dismissed those notes immediately. He hated it when dark wizards started wars over his power. It only created more needless suffering and violence, which he had seen too much of already in his lifetime.

Most recently, however, was the spell that intrigued him the most. They had been given orders from Oracion Seis to locate a magical weapon created years ago, a weapon known as Nirvana. The notes of Eisenwald on the weapon were focused on the uses of Nirvana, with few actually discussing a specific location. Apparently, the spell was designed to transform light into dark, and vice versa. The concept was intriguing, and constructing such a spell had to have taken much work. For all of the research Zeref had done, even he could not quite puzzle out how such a thing was possible.

This was why he was looking further into Nirvana, a puzzle to occupy his thoughts. The location was quite vague, narrowed down to a forest located on the western side of the city known as Rosenwald. An ancient tribe had created the device to end war, but the power had backfired and transformed their good intentions into darkness.

In essence, the device had to be capable of sensing an individual’s tendency towards light or darkness in the first place to work. For that aspect, it needed some form of probing magic, similar to telepathy. That part wasn’t too difficult to work out. Numerous characters could be embedded into magic circles to sense for particular threats nearby. In fact, they had been used to create alarms for homes, though only the wealthy had managed to afford such highly technical spells to ward away intruders based on the intent found within their minds.

This spell, however, took that idea a step further. It puzzled Zeref, trying to figure out how it could completely alter someone’s mindset. Telepaths, if powerful enough, could alter memories, but they could not alter someone’s morals or their personality to this degree, at least, not without erasing and rewriting a person’s entire past, anyway. Nirvana seemed capable of keeping memories intact, while simply altering their viewpoint on how the world worked. It was fascinating, almost bending the will of the world in the way it transformed everything around it.

Footsteps echoed in the room, making Zeref glance up from the journal he was looking into. Coming up the stairs was a familiar face, one of the wizards who was known for her reading habits. Levy’s eyes went wide as she gasped at the sight of the library. The girl had been too busy helping direct Fairy Tail’s wizards towards their new guild hall to truly explore their new home. Now, most of the members had arrived, with the exception of the more reclusive or busier members such as Mystogan and Gildarts.

The blue haired wizard ran her hand across the spines of a few books before her, reading their titles with wide eyes. “Wow…so many books that I haven’t read. It will take me days to read all of these…” she murmured, before jumping back as she spotted Zeref within. “Oh, Master! I didn’t realize you were here…sorry to interrupt, I just had some free time and I thought I’d check out this library I heard we had here.”

Nodding, Zeref set his book aside, in a pile of its own as he glanced at the girl. “I had assumed you would come sooner. I suppose you were busy helping Mira get everyone situated?” he commented.

She smiled, looking relieved as she walked closer, once again pausing at another bookshelf to study their new collection. “Yeah, though Erza was the one who really took charge once she arrived. That girl is a monster at times, I swear I feel so weak around her.” Levy commented, shaking her head. “With Erza creating a system for guiding everyone to the guild, I ended up helping Mira come up with a way for us to continue getting job requests. Eisenwald only took on assassination jobs, but we figured we’d start out…with something a bit less dark at first.”

The girl looked uncomfortable, rubbing the back of her head. Zeref was only listening for now, as he had little input to offer. He agreed that a drastic shift would not be good for their mental health, but he had not considered ways to limit the jobs given to the guild. “Anyway, Mira got a job in town as a result! Apparently, there’s a local bar that Eisenwald used as a basis to get jobs from the citizens of Oshibana, and anyone else visiting. With her personality, she’s the perfect fit to go around chatting with people and spreading the word that she has contacts with a new dark guild…willing to take on any job so long as it does not involve killing.”

Thinking about it, Zeref decided there was some merit to the idea. Mira herself was quite social, and she could gossip about nearly any subject. When a new member arrived in the guild, it took her less than a week to try and set them up on a date with another member. As a result, she could learn the faces and personalities of the people of Oshibana in no time, and Fairy Tail would once more be taking on work suited to their new role as a dark guild.

He nodded towards Levy, glancing over towards the wall absent-mindedly. “That is good, I suppose. I’ll admit, I haven’t been much of a leader as of late.” he stated quietly.

Levy looked uncomfortably, biting her lip as she stepped closer hesitantly. “Well…no one really blames you, you know.” she commented. “I mean, you just went face to face with one of your own demons…that was probably just a huge reminder of the past you are trying to forget. Anyone would be a bit upset after that, I imagine.”

He shook his head, closing his eyes as he pressed a hand to his forehead. “No, it is not that.” he stated quietly. “I can’t explain it….perhaps I need a new focus, a new mission…” he mused, glancing back down on the journals he had been looking through. His mind was working, trying to let go of the dark loneliness and longing that was setting into his heart. Ignoring such feelings was best for everyone, including himself. “Nirvana…perhaps it can do more…”

“I’m sorry, but you lost me there.” Levy admitted, giving him a slight smile as she joined him on the floor. She folded her legs, leaning to the side as she watched Zeref pick up another journal.

He was smiling now, finally seeing potential in this spell. Getting closer to it, he could see exactly how it worked. From there, he just may be able to alter it entirely. If it could transform dark into light, then he could alter its target from a wizard, to magic itself. In that case, it could alter a curse into a blessing…and free him to finally end his own existence. Death would be available to him, if he could reach this spell. “Nirvana…a spell that transforms darkness into light…a spell that may possibly be able to cancel out my magic…”

His voice trailed off again, glancing up at Levy as he rose to his feet. “Come, we must alert the others. I have a new mission, one which we will not fail at.” he insisted darkly, not elaborating any further. Fairy Tail would not like his new path, but right now, it was the only way he could avoid another tragedy. He was dangerously balanced on the border between remembering and forgetting the value of life. One step closer to remembering, and the entire world would pay the price.

Levy followed after him, watching as he rushed down the spiral staircase and towards the main guild hall. “Wait, you never explained anything! Why are you even interested in a spell that can do that?” she questioned.

Glancing at her, Zeref blinked and frowned for a moment. “Are you not afraid of my power? I had thought…all of you avoided me, because of my past and my….inability to control this magic.” 

His gaze focused on his hands, stopping in the hallway as he continued wondering why he hid so much about himself from them. Even after all of this time, he had not told them about his curse. They knew of his magic, and of how hard it was to control, but they did not know its origins. Still, Levy stepped forward and smiled up at him, shaking her head.

“Come on,why would I be afraid?” she questioned, walking backwards towards the doorway to the main room. “After all, you’re our master. Sure, you’ve got some strange quirks and you don’t really talk to many of us….but that doesn’t mean you aren’t a part of our family.”

Her words should have made him feel better. They should have brought a smile to his face. Instead, as he stared at the brightness in Levy’s eyes, all Zeref felt was a hollow pain in his chest. Perhaps she wished to be his friend, but it was an empty promise, to a man she did not even know. No one in this guild knew him, and as a result, none of them would ever understand him enough to truly be his friend. That was why he had to do this.

He paused for a moment, Mavis’ face flashing in his mind. Abandoning her was hard, but he had no other options. Unleashing his curse upon the world, in any form, would create far more tragedy than what had befallen Mavis. Under his breath, so quietly that no one heard, Zeref whispered as a single tear flowed down his cheek. “I’m sorry, Mavis.” He took a step forward, heading to make an announcement to his guild. Finding Nirvana would free him from his immortality, and then, he would find the peace he had always been searching for.


	20. The Deception of Dark Wizards

There was something off about the unreported basement beneath Fairy Tail. Lahar was following after Natsu, with Marvin in the back, keeping a light in his hand for them to see. At first, it seemed quite average and run down. Cobwebs hung from the corners of the wall and dust covered the stairs they stepped on. Faint creaks could be heard as the wooden planks bent under their weight. In fact, Lahar questioned a few times if one was about to break, but it never did.

He felt nervous, following after Natsu into this place. With the powerful ward outside, he had expected to sense powerful magic in this room. Instead, he felt nothing but faint traces in the air. His hand rested on a wooden railing, feeling the rough surface as it glided across the worn wood. It needed quite a bit of care down here, but that wasn’t his concern right now.

Nearing the bottom of the stairs, a light seemed to appear in the distance. Whatever was down here, it was lit by lacrima at all times. Natsu seemed to frown at the sight, stopping for a moment to sniff the air. “I don’t like this place…it’s almost like there’s….” he muttered, before glancing at Lahar and shaking his head. “Never mind, I guess it isn’t important. It’s not like you guys listen to my advice anyway.”

Unsure of how to take that, Lahar simply kept moving forward. He wasn’t surprised that Natsu was irritated, but he had to be harsh on the boy. He had broken the law, and willingly aided a known criminal. If it wasn’t for the fact that his own curiosity had grown so strong, he would have arrested Natsu before they even entered this basement.

The light grew brighter, coming close to them. Marvin snuffed out his light in response to it, leaving them staring with wide eyes as the walked through an archway and into a massive room. The walls were made entirely of white stone, the room itself immaculate unlike the staircase from before. Lahar could not see a speck of dust in this place, and an intricate golden design flooded the floor. The image of Fairy Tail’s logo was huge beneath his feet, as if welcoming the guild to this place. Further ahead, a well-lit hall was illuminated by more lights.

Taking the lead, Lahar moved to walk down the hall. Natsu had paused, frowning as he glanced around in confusion in the room. Still, he followed after Lahar without a word before long. “So, this place is kind of interesting, isn’t it?” Marvin began, his first comment since coming down here. He had been oddly quiet thus far, but now he was speaking once more.

Ignoring them, Lahar let their rambling fill the silence behind him as he focused. “Yeah, I guess. I still think we should leave. Z—er, August didn’t seem like the guy who would be too forgiving about stuff like this.” Natsu muttered.

Not catching the mistake in Natsu’s comment, Lahar froze with wide eyes. “August? Are you sure it was August, and not Invel?” he questioned, turning towards the dragon slayer.

The boy narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. “Wait, you know him too? I thought you were mad at me for being his friend! Come on, what’s your problem then? Why can’t we both be friends with him?” he demanded, complaining.

This boy couldn’t be more oblivious, Lahar decided. “I am not friends with August or Invel, Natsu. I simply had suspicions as to who this black wizard was originally.” he explained, shaking his head. “Besides, it doesn’t matter which one of them it is. Both are dangerous and knowing that it is August…it only confirms my fears. The Alvarez Empire has a hold in Fiore, and they are planning to attack us discretely while no one is prepared.”

Rubbing the back of his head, Natsu glanced away. “Oh, that place.” he commented. “I don’t think that’s what he’s here for. I mean, he seemed pretty upset about everything when I talked to him.”

“Upset?” Lahar demanded, this time stopping to glare at Natsu. “You are basing your entire trust in this man…on the fact that he was upset? How stupid can you get? People lie, Natsu, especially dark wizards. They deceive others to get what they want, and once they’ve finished their use for you, they leave. This black wizard has clearly used you, and for that I am sorry, but I promise you, he is not your friend and he feels no remorse over his actions in Magnolia.”

“Don’t feel bad.” Marvin tried, patting Natsu’s shoulder before the boy could reply. “I know a few other wizards who were conned like that. They were good people too, members of official guilds even. Still young, they went out on a mission to help find some magical artifact or another. Turns out, dark wizards impersonated the people who gave the job, and stole the artifact right from under their noses! Happens all the time, I’m sure of it.”

Shrugging off his hand, Natsu glared at Lahar as his hands clenched into fists. The hall seemed to get warmer as he did so, making the rune knight captain wary of his companion. “No…he wouldn’t lie to me…” Natsu tried to insist, glancing away. “He told me…he told me he was lying to me, before giving me a fake name. He told me when he couldn’t answer one of my questions…he….”

Natsu seemed to trail off, as if trying to convince himself of the man’s honesty. “I do not blame you for falling for deception, Natsu.” Lahar stated at last, unsure of if it was true or not. Justice stated that Natsu should be arrested, but he had a decent case for being coerced into aiding a criminal. “It is only natural. I did not think to warn you about it for this mission. We were not supposed to encounter a wizard of this caliber in Magnolia, and I saw it as an unlikely tactic for Fairy Tail to use against us.”

Suddenly, Lahar felt Natsu yank him back off of his feet, throwing him to the floor. He stared at the boy in shock, about ready to yell at him in anger when the hall seemed to shift slightly. Right where he had been standing before, the floor began to crumble away into dust. As it did so, a dark hole took its place and from within, something began to crawl out. A creature unlike any Lahar had seen seemed to growl at him. It was somewhat aquatic in his mind, reminding him of an octopus with its large round head and slimy appearance. However, it had two small eyes centered in its face, and a mouth that parted to reveal sharp canines within.

The thing raised its arms with a hiss, arms that were much longer than the usual animal. They seemed to be tentacle-like as well, though its feet appeared normal if you didn’t focus on the bright orange skin covering its body. “I thought I smelled something funny. Didn’t realize he’d protect this place with something like that monster in Clover.”

“Clover?” Lahar questioned, frowning as the city sounded familiar. While it was a distance away, he felt like he had heard it mentioned far more recently.

The dragon slayer nodded, while Marvin’s eyes seemed to widen and light up with eagerness. “You were there, when the demon attacked? Was it true that dark wizards saved the day? Did it truly destroy the entire city in its attack?” he questioned.

Shaking his head, Natsu frowned as he focused on the octopus-like creature. “I can’t say much about it, but I can tell you this thing is weaker than the one I just faced. We can take it, no problem.” 

Flames danced in his fist as he grinned at the creature, cracking his neck slightly. Lahar caught a glimpse of fangs in his mouth with that grin, making him wonder just how much dragon slaying magic truly affected the body. “Well…I’m not much of a fighter, but I suppose I can at least distract it for a bit.” Marvin commented, stepping forward.

His hands held out in front of him, a white light beginning to glow. Slowly, it became brighter, so bright that Lahar had to look away to avoid damaging his eyes. A strange high-pitched squeal filled the air as the creature seemed to become pained from the light. At the same time, he felt heat as Natsu charged forward, attacking the creature. “Fire Dragon’s Wing Attack!” he shouted. 

Turning back hesitantly, Lahar noticed the light had faded enough to see. Natsu was jumping towards the creature, with flames encompassing both of his arms as he swung down his magic on the demon. The multi-armed demon reached out towards the wall in response, apparently having some form of suction that allowed it to pull himself out of the way. “Aww, come on! I got knocked out with Lullaby, and now, I can’t even hit you. I’m beginning to think this guy’s just trying to make things that irritate me now.” Natsu complained.

“Make?” Lahar questioned, gazing between Natsu and the creature. Studying it, he focused on sensing for magic in the air. Sure enough, the entire creature’s body seemed to be filled with it, though it was different than the sense he would get from a wizard. Instead, it seemed to align more with an enchantment, and a powerful one at that. “Impossible…no wizard alive can create living things….” he whispered, watching as Natsu moved to attack again.

“Let’s see you dodge this!” he shouted, stepping back and spreading his legs wide as he inhaled deeply. “Fire Dragon’s Roar!” 

This time, the torrent of flames blasted the demon away from its perch on the wall. It’s squeal transformed into a screech, making Lahar wince and cover his ears as it seemed to get thrown back by the force of Natsu’s attack. The octopus landed on the floor when the flames began to dissipate, his orange skin now slightly charred and blackened from Natsu’s roar. Stepping forward slowly, Lahar stared at the gaping hole still in the floor of the hall, with the demon resting on the other side, not moving.

Grinning, Natsu turned over towards Lahar. “There, that took care of it. Come on, we’re going the wrong way anyway.” he told them, turning around to walk back towards the exit.

Sighing, Lahar pressed his hand to his forehead as he closed his eyes. “Natsu…that is the way out. We want to search this place for answers.”

The dragon slayer frowned, turning back towards him. He seemed to think for a moment, before scowling and shaking his head. “I get that. To be honest, I still don’t know who was telling me the truth. Either way, you’ve got a point. He…he had no choice but to deceive me. I should have…I should have known he didn’t want to be my friend…” he muttered, sounding hurt.

Not used to comforting others, Lahar didn’t know what to say. Instead, Marvin seemed to step in, patting his shoulder with a smile. “Like I said, don’t feel bad about it. Who knows? Maybe in some strange way, he cared for you…kind of like the way a general cares for his army? No…that doesn’t sound right, it makes you sound like his pawn…” Marvin seemed to struggle for a good analogy to use, but something about his words made Natsu turn towards him, narrowing his eyes.

“A pawn…I was a pawn in his eyes…” he mused, before slowly grinning. “Ha, I figured it out! I actually was his friend, so he had to see me as his pawn, just like all of those other people.” 

Lost, Lahar shared a look with Marvin before Natsu turned back to them. Lahar wanted to question Natsu for an explanation, but he didn’t get the chance. “Anyway, August’s scent was stronger in that chamber from before. This hall is just a trap for intruders like us, where he probably has more demons set up to attack.” he commented, glancing behind him. “That smell is still strong in this hall, and I don’t think we want to find out what else is down there.”

The rune knight captain wanted to smack Natsu in anger. “Are you telling me…that you let us go the wrong way this entire time?” 

His anger was obvious in his voice, and Natsu seemed to blink and take a step back, his grin fading. “Uh…I guess…but hey, I told ya now, didn’t I? Sorry, I just wanted…well, never mind.” he muttered, glancing away. “I still don’t know what to think…I want to trust him, but I also want to help you guys…I mean, you did get me out of prison, so I kind of owe you, and you’ve given me a chance to actually help in some way…”

His rage fading, Lahar sighed and stepped forward. He patted Natsu’s shoulder, giving the boy a small smile. “It is alright, Natsu. Just keep in mind….in our line of work, friendship often gets in the way. People who you think you can trust may become enemies in an instant. That is why it is best to not grow too attached, before things like this occur and create problems.”

Glancing towards him, Natsu shook his head. “Now you sound like August.” he muttered, slowly grinning. “He didn’t seem to like the idea of having friends either.”

Unsure of what to make of the comparison, Lahar simply remained quiet. Whoever this dark wizard was, they were becoming more and more interesting every moment. He didn’t go killing in large quantities, he openly admitted to lying directly to someone’s face, and now, he attempted to dissuade others from making friends. Not to mention Natsu’s comment about the man truly feeling pain over the deaths of others. All of it was slowly making Lahar see why Natsu wished to help him, but at the same time, it only made him more dangerous. August had to be stopped at all costs, and right now, he had a feeling this basement would hold a huge clue about how to do such a thing.


	21. Surprising Potential

Back in the main room of the basement, Lahar still didn’t know what they were looking for. Natsu had taken charge of the investigation down here, the one most capable of doing so with his strong sense of smell. However, Lahar was beginning to regret letting Natsu take over. The boy was standing in the center of the room, frowning as he sniffed the air. He would slowly walk in one direction, before shaking his head and moving back. It was irritated to watch the boy pace about, but he had no other ideas on how to find whatever secrets were hidden here.

Glancing towards him, Natsu gave him a half-smile. “Sorry it’s taking me a bit. There’s another scent in here that’s messing with my nose…it smells a lot like him, actually.” he commented, before that smile faded. He moved closer towards a wall, pressing his palm to the surface as he inhaled deeply.

“Really? So, how often does that happen?” Marvin asked. “I mean, I’ve never gone around smelling people, but I imagine they all smell a little different at least.”

Shaking his head, Natsu began to close his eyes and smell deeply, right by the wall. He didn’t reply to Marvin, but Lahar’s patience was nearly gone. “If you aren’t going to search, then at least let us continue down the path we first started down. Honestly, I should have realized you wouldn’t take this seriously.” Lahar complained, turning around to leave.

Natsu’s next words, however, stopped him. “I wouldn’t go around complaining so much. I…I think this place is a tomb.” Glancing upward, Natsu’s gaze seemed to narrow at something high up on the wall. Following his gaze, Lahar turned to squint at some form of writing along the surface. It was small and hard to read at this distance, but he barely managed to make it out.

Reading out loud, he moved to stand next to Natsu. “To gain entry to these sacred grounds, speak the name of what is entombed within.” Shaking his head, Lahar frowned over at Natsu. “The word ‘entombed’ does not necessarily imply a person, Natsu.”

Marvin nodded in agreement, giving them a slight smile. “Of course, many different things could be entombed. Perhaps an ancient spell was sealed away, blocked off with a tomb-like structure. It could be an animal, or even a mundane object like a picture.” he suggested.

Shaking his head, Natsu stepped back. “No…it’s a tomb. I think I know who’s here…or at least, who was here. We really shouldn’t disturb this place, I think he’d be upset if we did.” Natsu’s gaze turned towards Lahar, as if pleading to let them leave.

There was still too much to lose by leaving now. August had created this place, for some unknown reason. Whatever was behind this door, it didn’t matter if it truly was a dead body. Lahar had to know, in order to see just how dangerous this wizard was. He was a part of Fairy Tail, a member none of them had ever heard of, yet clearly he had heavy influence within the guild. “Let him be angry. Justice must be served, and in order to learn about our target, we must see inside of this room.”

The boy sighed, glancing back up towards the wall. His hand slowly dropped to his side, pulling away from the wall as Natsu frowned. “Alright, but don’t blame me if he attacks you.” he commented, folding his arms over his chest. “I just speak the name, right? I mean, that’s what it says to do.”

Sensing outward, Lahar focused on the spell interwoven about the wall. It was simple in that aspect, as if capable of reacting to vibrations in the air to trigger an opening. However, the complexity came from the fact that there was no other method of untangling the web of woven energy before him. Only the right vibrations could release the seal, which meant they had to speak the code embedded within the spell.

He nodded towards Natsu, watching the dragon slayer focus back on the wall. “Alright then. Mavis Vermillion.” he stated, making Lahar gasp slightly. He knew that name, the name of Fairy Tail’s founder. Just what made Natsu think she was buried here? He had reports insisting her grave was on some remote island far from this place.

Still, the room around them seemed to rumble at Natsu’s words. The wall shook, dust falling from it as the entire thing seemed to slide downward. Lahar’s eyes were wide as it began to open a path towards a hall he had not ever even suspected to be in this place. The wall finished falling, landing flat with the ground with a final crash and the rumbling slowly stopped.

Taking a step closer, Lahar noted that the room within was not well-lit like the main room. It was just as clean, however, unlike the stairwell. The brick walls were still white, with stone floors to match it. The dimmed hall led a little ways into the wall, and Lahar quickly moved to take the path before it was sealed off once more. Natsu and Marvin followed his lead, frowning as they gazed around this place.

Natsu seemed to smell the air around him, frowning as they walked. “She’s not here anymore.” he stated confidently after a few moments, glancing towards the others. “Her scent is too weak…at least, I think it’s her scent.”

Ignoring him, Lahar moved on. He didn’t care if Natsu’s senses said otherwise, Lahar had not come here looking for a person. No one went to such lengths to simply hide a body. Warding off the ability to sense magic within indicated a spell of some form. It couldn’t be as simple as a body, Lahar was certain of it. 

The hall was straight, and eventually opened up into another room, smaller than the one from before. It was rounder in shape, with a massive door in front of them. As they approached, it seemed to open when their presence was close enough to be known. This entire place seemed rigged with spells of that nature, once again making Lahar wonder how this wizard had learned so much about magic. 

Inside, the room was filled with a hushed light, leaving it dimly illuminated. A pedestal seemed to take the center of the room, the only object within. However, on top of the rounded platform, nothing remained. Staring at it, Lahar tried to determine just what else had been in this room. The ceiling was higher than it had been in the other rooms, likely nearing the floor of Fairy Tail’s guild hall itself. The walls were flat, but there was nothing lining their surfaces to indicate further storage. 

Lahar moved closer to the platform, running his hand across the surface and letting his eyes shut. There was a faint presence of magic here, as if a lot of ethernano had been gathered at once. “See? I told ya, she isn’t here anymore.” Natsu commented, his arms crossed over his head. Opening his eyes, Lahar frowned as he stared at the grayed surface. It was smooth for the most part, but now that he focused, he could see jagged crystals around the edges of the platform.

Carefully, he reached over and pressed a hand to one of them. It seemed to be bound to the platform itself, refusing to move by force. Instead, Lahar leaned forward so his eyes were level with the crystal. It gave off the faint light that was present in the room, shining with the magic still lingering within. “A lacrima…there was a lacrima here before.” he declared.

“A lacrima and a body…well, that doesn’t sound good. Experiments with resurrection were banned ages ago. No one ever really knows why these days…but apparently, there were steep consequences for even trying such spells in the past.” Marvin commented, joining Lahar next to the pedestal. “Those rumors are never consistent, though. Can’t say much about what happens, but I’ve heard that you can become a monster, die, or even vanish entirely from existence as a result.”

Glancing towards Natsu, Lahar noticed that the boy was still. His gaze was focused on the wall, distant as he frowned at Marvin’s words. “Nah, that’s not it.” he said after a few moments. “I…I think I figured out what he did, I guess. It makes sense now…that’s why someone would…” Natsu turned towards them, before shaking his head slightly. “It doesn’t really matter, though. If I’m right, he wasn’t trying to…well, she wasn’t exactly dead in the first place. He told me she was cursed, not dead.”

“Cursed?” Lahar questioned, frowning towards Natsu. “What form of curse would require a lacrima of this size to contain?”

Based on the platform before them, the lacrima had to have been massive, simply in width alone. The shards remaining ran along the entire edge, jutting out at various points. That meant it had taken up the entire space, rather than just a small section. “Don’t know, I didn’t ask much about it. He didn’t want to talk about it, anyway. Actually, it made him cry to think about it too much…” The dragon slayer rubbed the back of his head, shrugging after a moment.

It sounded so bizarre, a curse that a dark wizard was looking into here. Did he have some form of connection to Mavis? If that was the case, it led him to think about a different member of Fairy Tail from long ago. There had been rumors of a wizard leaving and going dark, a wizard by the name of Precht. The Council had heard nothing of him in recent years, though, so Lahar dismissed the idea quickly. He wouldn’t be capable of getting so close to Fairy Tail once more, not after leaving the guild without a single word of warning.

“Maybe it was breaking, and he wanted to make sure his curse remained in place. From what I’ve heard, this dark wizard sounds very thorough, he’d probably make sure to follow through on any spell he cast before.” Marvin suggested.

Shaking his head, Natsu glared over towards Marvin. “He ain’t like that, got it?” he insisted, his head burying into his scarf after a moment. “He cared for Mavis…I think she was the only friend he ever had, actually. If he kept her here, it was so he could free her, not trap her more.”

Lahar could still see how conflicted Natsu was when he spoke. It was clear the boy felt strongly about this, but then again, what did it say about August? Most dark wizards had a motive, even if they did terrible things. This one was likely no different. Did killing somehow bring him closer to saving Mavis? Just what had happened to Fairy Tail’s first master? History said she had passed away at a young age, after an encounter with a powerful dark wizard. No other knowledge was known, at least, not in the Council’s records.

Perhaps she hadn’t died against that dark wizard after all, Lahar decided. “Natsu, you may be correct. Perhaps that is his motive…there may have been something in the magic shop he needed to end this curse.” Lahar mused, glancing towards it. “Regardless, he has still taken the wrong path. Using dark magic and killing others is unforgivable. Natsu, you must do the right thing here. Tell me, where did August go?”

The dragon slayer narrowed his eyes at Lahar. “I can’t say. I promised him I wouldn’t turn him in.” he insisted. “I told ya, you wouldn’t understand what was going on with him. Maybe he just used me, but that still doesn’t change the fact that I made that promise. I don’t go back on my word, not when I know what it feels like to be betrayed like that.”

“And what of your word to me?” Lahar questioned, crossing his arms over his chest as he turned towards Natsu. “We had an agreement. You would bring me to Fairy Tail, in return for your freedom. Are you valuing your promise to this stranger, a black wizard known to have murdered at least four individuals, more than your arrangement with your country?”

Running a hand through his hair, Natsu turned away to avoid Lahar’s dark gaze. “Look, I’m not backing out of that either! I just…I can’t turn him in, alright? I’ll take you to anyone else in Fairy Tail and help you find all the members, but August is not someone we should mess with.” He seemed to think for a moment, before turning towards Lahar with a calm expression. “Besides, he’s not trying to hurt anyone. All he wants to do is live in peace.”

How any dark wizard could convince Natsu of their ‘good’ nature was a mystery to Lahar. This man was sneaky, likely more dangerous than he had originally suspected. Not only did he seem to have connections to the Alvarez Empire, his history with Fiore ran deep. A friendship with Mavis put the man at nearly a hundred years of age, and greatly limited the possible suspects. Out of the two he had considered before, it was looking like it truly was August, the elderly member of the Spriggan Twelve, rather than Invel.

Rather than argue further, Lahar moved to search more of the room. There was nothing to be gained from the remnants of a lacrima. Without the magic it once contained, the purpose of the spell could not be determined. Still, it was odd that he could even sense a trace of energy in the air after it was removed. Whatever magic the lacrima had contained, it had to have been powerful for it to leave behind a faint magical aura, one that had no real identifying properties for Lahar to look deeper into.

Without turning to look at him, Lahar spoke once more to Natsu. “I understand, however, do not forget your word to me. I can easily put you back in that cell, Natsu. Do not test my limits. For the time being, you are serving the rune knights as if you truly were one of us. You will follow my orders, and you will not argue against what I tell you is right. August, whoever this man may be, is dangerous and a criminal. Should we encounter him, I expect you to aid in his arrest.”

There was a slight grunt from behind him, making him glance over his shoulder towards the fire wizard. “I’m not making any promises about that.” he stated stubbornly, scowling at the wall. 

“You two are worrying about all the wrong things.” Marvin stated, shaking his head as he held a light out between the two of them. It danced in his palm, bright and shedding more light on the room they were in. “Our job here is to find Fairy Tail. This dark wizard isn’t under our jurisdiction right now, not until the Council gives us new orders. I know, I want to stop him too. After all, he is a disgrace to wizards everywhere. Still, we can’t just go around acting on our own sense of what is right because he’s out there. The Council creates order in the magical world, and if we don’t follow that order, there will be no one left to enforce it in this place.”

For the man who had been rambling about nonsensical things all day, it sounded quite profound. Lahar always found these moments to be the most worthwhile when with Marvin. When he truly became passionate about something, about his job, he could speak with a wisdom that rivaled even the eldest of wizards. 

The light wizard seemed to be waiting for a response from either of them. “I…you are right.” Lahar stated after a few moments, closing his eyes and letting his chin press into his chest. He was disappointed in himself. Lahar prided himself on serving his country, and now, he had failed Fiore by getting distracted with a task that was not his to deal with. “The Council will send another unit to locate this dark wizard. I should have simply reported him to my superiors, rather than jumping into this mess without any orders or sense of direction on where to find this man.”

Marvin smiled, nodding at him as he placed a hand on his hip. “Well, that’s understandable. Like I said, dark wizards do terrible things in this world. I wish I could stop them all, but that’s not meant to be.” he mused. “You know, this one time, I was on a different mission. This was before I joined your unit, mind you, but I was still tasked with taking down some wizards who were trying to engage in slave trade overseas. Nasty people, I always hate such things. Did you know it is actually legal in Bosco? There are other countries that accept it as well…”

Lahar tuned him out, seeing Marvin going back to his usual mindless ramblings. Perhaps there was some logic in his words, but it rarely lasted for long. Either way, Marvin had at least helped him get focused back on his true task. Glancing towards Natsu, Lahar gave the dragon slayer a small smile. “Well, I suppose that means we have reached a compromise, Natsu Dragneel. It is time for us to move on from this place. After all, we will not find Fairy Tail wizards down here, will we?”

Grinning, Natsu took off towards the exit eagerly. “I’ve been telling you that this entire time! You know, you’re kind of weird, Lahar. Maybe you’d do better if you listened to others for once.” he commented.

From anyone else, Lahar would have felt insulted by the comment. Still, coming from Natsu, it only seemed to speak more to the boy’s personality. He only spoke his mind, and Lahar found his brutal honesty strangely refreshing. There would be nothing hidden from him by his comrade, at least, nothing that he would not be aware of. Despite the fact that he was protecting August, Natsu still spoke of the man and who August was. It made Lahar smile, knowing he could use that to his advantage. A partner with such strong loyalty was valued amongst the rune knights. Perhaps Marvin truly was onto something, when he suggested having Natsu join their ranks. With his skill as a wizard and his ability to gain the trust of others so easily, he could become a valuable asset to their cause.


	22. Assembling a Team

The main guild hall was still as rowdy as it used to be. Small fights were starting in scattered places as wizards tried to test their strength against each other. Meanwhile, Alzac and Bisca talked in a corner, smiling at the sight. Mira worked on hanging new job requests on the newly installed bulletin board on the wall. As she did so, Laki and Team Shadowgear moved to see just what kind of work they could be doing while things started to calm down.

As Zeref walked into the room, things continued as usual. Loke leaned against the wall next to him, giving Zeref a slight nod as he grinned down at the woman all trying to fight for his attention. At the moment, Zeref was debating just who to bring with him on this mission. A smaller group would be better to avoid detection, but he needed a group he could trust to keep this under raps. Not only would they have to hide from the Council, they would also need to conceal themselves from the other guild members. No one would be pleased with Zeref’s true plans with Nirvana, and as such, he had to be careful who he chose.

Normally, Mira would be his first choice out of the group. She may be a bit of a gossip, but she was loyal and willing to help whenever she was needed. However, right now she was needed to begin taking job requests for the other members. At the same time, Waren’s skill with telepathy may be useful, but the man normally kept to himself and wasn’t that good to choose in the event a battle occurred. Makarov could also be of use, with his understanding of Zeref’s curse to some degree. Still, that would mean taking away their strongest member in the event that they were attacked in the early stages of growing their dark guild.

Maybe it would simply be best to go alone. He realized he did not truly trust anyone here, not to the extent that he’d share his sorrow with them like this. Also, it felt cruel, somehow, to ask them to help with this. After living as a member of their guild for so long, he had seen how close their bonds truly were. Many of them attempted to share that bond with himself, despite his distant personality. As a result, it would pain any of them if he were to die, and it would be practically impossible to talk any of them into trying to kill him.

His eyes began to narrow as he gazed deeper into the guild, suddenly realizing one person who might not be so upset. Laxus was gathered with the Thunder Legion, all of them looking like they were just daring others to try and come near them. “This is the new second floor of the guild, you weaklings.” Laxus declared, slamming his drink on the table. “You non-S-class wizards better stick to your half of the guild, or we’ll show you just how weak you really are.”

Sighing, Zeref realized it would be a long trip with someone like him. Without other options, though, he began to approach Laxus and his team. “Feel free to ignore him. Dark guilds do not separate into different classes of wizards. Everyone is welcome to take any job they wish, that is how these things work.” Zeref stated in a hushed voice. The room seemed to have quieted down with Laxus’ previous outburst, making Zeref’s voice seem a bit loud in comparison.

The lighting wizard glanced towards Zeref, raising an eyebrow at the man. “Master, I didn’t realize you were going soft on these guys. Haven’t you seen how weak we’ve gotten over the last few years? We need to toughen these guys up, and I think some tough love would be a good start to getting back on track.” he insisted.

Ignoring his comment, Zeref took a seat across from Laxus, running a hand through his hair. “If they wish to become stronger, that is their choice and not yours. Power can come at a cost, Laxus. Do not forget that, or you will one day regret it.” His warning was given with a dark tone, his eyes lifting to narrow at Laxus.

“Ooooh, so scary. Tell me, Master, just what do you really want with me?” Laxus questioned, leaning over the table towards Zeref. “We both know I’m one of the strongest wizards here, so you didn’t just sit here for a friendly chat about power.”

Nodding, Zeref leaned closer and let his voice drop to an even quieter volume. “I…I am about to go on a mission, of sorts. It needs to stay discrete, as the purpose would likely upset many people here.” he explained.

Laxus smirked, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest. “And why do I care about them getting a little upset? Find someone else for this mission of yours, I’m busy at the moment.” The blond moved to stand, with his companions grinning behind him as if he had made an impressive declaration.

Closing his eyes, Zeref calmed himself for a moment before harshening his gaze towards Laxus. “You will join me, Laxus. Wouldn’t you want the chance to prove that supposed strength of yours?” Taunts were the best way to get through to him, Zeref noted. Stroking his ego would manipulate him to the point Zeref wanted him to be.

Hearing those words, Laxus stopped and turned back to him, scowling at Zeref’s comment about his lack of power. “Supposed? Well, let me just show you, Master, how strong I’ve gotten.” He sneered out Zeref’s title, but that wasn’t his main goal. In his palm, lightning was dancing and prepared to throw at Zeref. The wizard released an attack, sending shocks towards the black wizard’s body. With ease, he teleported away and let the blast collide with Elfman, who had been approaching from behind.

Glancing back at the other wizard, he only paused long enough to ensure that Elfman was still breathing. Then, he focused back on Laxus. “Attacking me now is not what I intended. Such actions are foolishness, as it will result in nothing. You are well aware of my immortal status, are you not? I thought word had spread, after the events of Clover occurred.” he commented. 

The lightning wizard nodded, looking wary as he gave out a slight snort. “I’ve heard. So what? You’re immortal, but that’s not my problem to deal with. Find someone else if you want pity, like I said before, I’ve got better things to do.”

“I don’t want pity, Laxus. I want someone willing to kill me, and based on your actions just a moment ago, I’d say I’ve found the right wizard.” Zeref stated darkly, smiling over towards the wizard. This time, the smirk vanished from Laxus’ face, his eyes wide as he turned towards their master. “It appears as if that has caught your attention. Would you be interested in hearing more?”

Laxus slowly returned to the table sitting down across from him once more. Behind him, Evergreen, Freed, and Bickslow were frozen in shock. “You can’t be serious?” Evergreen demanded. “You are Fairy Tail’s master, do you really think things will improve if you just go out on a mission to die?”

Freed nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. “I agree. It seems rather unusual for our master to wish for such a thing.” he mused, before glancing towards Laxus. “Still, I can’t think of anyone better suited to this task than Laxus. If anyone is capable of overcoming immortality, it is him.”

The lightning wizard ignored them both, leaning across the table towards Zeref. “I don’t know what game you’re playing at, but Evergreen is right. These idiots won’t have a clue what to do without you, not when you’ve just forced them all to become dark wizards. Sure, I’d be a suitable master, but from what you’ve said, you wouldn’t like the results.” he commented. Laxus’ eyes moved to look around the room, frowning. “You want this guild to be a like a family, but I want to make it stronger. If we’re a dark guild, that means we’ll be facing attacks from everywhere. Eliminating the weak is the only way we’ll move up from here, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Perhaps, but that still does not change my own desires.” Zeref replied, glancing away. “I’ve lived for many years and watched everyone I ever cared for die. This guild…I never asked for it, however, the only person who ever truly understood me asked for help in creating and maintaining this place. Now, I tire of the repetition of this life. Fairy Tail will live on, and likely find a much better path without me bringing you all into this darkness with me.”

Grinning at him, Bickslow leaned over the table. “Well, if you wanna get away from yourself for a bit, I can help with that. One good look and your soul will be added to my collection.” he stated darkly, his tongue sticking out of his mouth at the end of his comment.

Sighing, Zeref shook his head. “No, I do not believe that would work. My…immortality is not something that I came by easily, nor will it be eliminated so easily as well.” he explained. “First, there is something that must be done. I’ve been spending the past few days researching the books in the library here. There is a spell, known as Nirvana, that can transform light into dark. With a few alterations, I believe I can force it to transform my curse into something else entirely.”

“Who said anything about a curse?” Evergreen demanded, standing on the other side of Laxus. Bickslow’s tongue went back in his mouth, but the girl was the one who was more suspicious at the moment. “I never realized that immortality could be granted with such a thing. It seems like an unusual gift to give anyone, if you ask me.”

Glancing towards her, Freed remained centered behind Laxus’ seat. “Be careful what you refer to as a gift, Ever.” Freed commented. “Living for eternity may sound pleasant at first, but it means our Master has seen everyone he’s ever known die. Ultimately, he will see us die as well, if we do nothing to change it. From that point of view, it is quite a powerful curse, and one that causes much suffering in the end.”

Waving them off, Laxus leaned back and seemed to think for a moment. “So, you want me to go along on this mission to break your curse.” he mused out loud, shaking his head. “After it’s done, am I just supposed to fight you? Or did you have some other plans to go through with first?”

There was boredom in his tone, and Zeref could see that he was losing the man’s interest. Closing his eyes, Zeref rose to his feet and shook his head. “Never mind. Perhaps this was a mistake, and this is a task better done alone. I had thought that you might help…as the member of the guild who least cared about if I lived or died.”

Snorting, Laxus glanced away. His gaze focused on the wall, ignoring everyone as he grew thoughtful. “Yeah, right. You’re the Black Wizard, I highly doubt there aren’t other people around that would want to help kill you off.” he insisted. Running a hand through his hair, Laxus’ eyes flickered to the spot where Makarov was sitting. The old man seemed to be smiling, talking with Mira as she took a break from hanging up the few jobs she had gathered for the guild. “Then again, it’s not like anyone would believe who you were. These wizards wouldn’t have the guts to finish you off, even if it would save the world from destruction.”

Stopping for a moment, Zeref remained silent as he stared over at the lightning wizard. Maybe there was some part of Laxus that cared, he realized. The blond seemed conflicted at the moment, but he was trying to keep his arrogant front up for Zeref to see. “Look, I don’t like it, but I won’t back down. As much as I hate to admit it…you are the strongest wizard we’ve got, and the best Master we could have at the moment. No one else could possibly make these wizards strong enough to fight back against the Council. Keep that in mind as you think about what the future holds for those of us you are leaving behind.”

Unsure of if Laxus was accepting or declining, Zeref frowned slightly. “Does this mean you are aiding me in finding Nirvana?” he questioned.

Standing up, Laxus nodded and jumped over the table, joining Zeref on the other side. “Sounds like I will be. The old man can keep an eye on things for us while we’re gone. Meanwhile, I’ll be trying to talk some sense into you so we don’t lose the only person in this guild strong enough to take me on, other than Gramps, of course.” he insisted.

Aware that Laxus was speaking of Makarov, Zeref made a mental note to do just that. The man’s wisdom and calmness would be good to lead them, for now. Maybe even later on, if Zeref succeeded in his goal. “Be warned, we will likely face problems on this trip. The research I found showed that Eisenwald was looking into Nirvana to help the Oracion Seis locate the spell.” he stated.

Raising an eyebrow, Laxus observed as Zeref began moving towards the hallway again. He followed after, with the Thunder Legion rushing to catch up. By the time they met up with Laxus and Zeref, the two were already walking up the stairs towards the library. “Another guild, huh? Not a problem, we can take them easily.” Laxus insisted.

Turning his head sharply, Zeref’s gaze hardened. “Do not be foolish, Laxus. Are you even aware of this guild? Do you know of their power, of what their members are capable of?” When the other wizard did not reply, Zeref returned to his trek upstairs. He needed to find a map, to locate the forest were Nirvana could be found. “The Oracion Seis is a dark guild, one of the three guilds that make up the Baram Alliance. Believe it or not, even amongst the dark guilds, there is a hierarchy of power and an establishment of order, in some form.”

Laxus listened silently, watching as Zeref moved to scan the shelves for some of the maps he had found with his research. “Every dark guild, no matter their size, has always fallen under the protection and jurisdiction of one of the three guilds in the Baram Alliance. Between the three leading guilds, there is a peace agreement of sorts, which none have violated out of fear of the damage it could cause. Their power levels are beyond that of normal guilds, and they are not to be underestimated at any point.” 

His warning seemed to fall on deaf ears, as Laxus simply shook his head with a smirk. “You’re worrying for nothing, Master. No one has stronger magic than you, and right now, you’ve got the strongest member of Fairy Tail by your side. We could take out any guild in this Baram Alliance without breaking a sweat.” he insisted.

“One of them will likely be attacking us soon, as we have not sworn allegiance to any of their guilds.” Zeref stated darkly, glancing towards Laxus. “I have no intention of being a pawn of someone else, thus you are correct in the fact that we must ‘take them out’ as you say. However, it will not be easy. The guild we are facing now…has a total of six members, yet they have become feared as one of the most powerful dark guilds in existence. Each of them excel in their magic, Laxus. While I may know much and have lived for centuries, it does not mean I am not capable of losing in battle against a powerful foe.”

Finally finding what he was looking for, Zeref pulled out a notebook from one of the shelves. Flipping through the pages, he landed on a sheet with a hand-drawn map, detailing the landscape of Fiore and pinpointing the area where Nirvana was believed to have been sealed away. “Don’t you dare bash Laxus like that! He is an amazing wizard, you would be a fool to think some measly dark—“ Evergreen began, upset with Zeref’s threat.

“Enough!” Laxus shouted, shaking his head and closing his eyes. He let out a deep sigh, creases forming on his forehead as he turned back towards Zeref. “Evergreen, you are annoying as hell sometimes. Look, if Master is worried about these guys, then I’m sure he has a reason. We’ll be on guard, but I can tell you now, we still won’t lose.”

Seeing that as the best he would get, Zeref nodded and tore out the map, folding the sheet and placing it within the folds of his robe. While it may be hidden, there was a pocket underneath the sash he wore that allowed him to hold the paper with ease for now. It was the only thing he really needed for the journey, so he turned back towards Laxus. “Prepare yourself. I intend on leaving tonight. Gather your things and meet me at Oshibana Station. We have a bit of a journey ahead of us, if we are to make it to Rosenwald by tomorrow.”


	23. A Stranger's Advice

Waiting at the train station may not have been the best idea. People were scarce, but Zeref was still on edge. His magic was not quiet lately, and his current mindset did not help much with it at all. As he sat in his seat, waiting for Laxus and his team to arrive, Zeref did his best to focus once more on theorizing ways to create a spell similar to Nirvana. However, he had already nearly completed his theory on the device over the last few days, and his mind was running out of things to focus on.

Natsu was still on his mind, and now it was slowly becoming clear as to why. He didn’t realize why he hadn’t noticed it before, the reason why that name had been familiar to him when he first met the dragon slayer. Perhaps years had allowed his memory to fade, but he never expected to forget the names of his own family. The baby brother that had perished in the war against dragons, his name had been Natsu as well. The odd coincidence left Zeref almost hoping for Natsu to actually be his brother, but it was practically an impossibility. Even with Eclipse sending dragon slayers forward in time, the odds of Natsu surviving back then were too slim for him to have been the same boy as the dragon slayer he had met a few days ago.

He still remembered his attempts to bring his entire family back to life, and how he had abandoned them after finally succeeding. A baby could not survive on its own, leaving him certain that Natsu had perished four hundred years ago, along with his parents who had been too close to his own magic when his curse became active once more. That had taught him that it was quite impossible for him to truly bring anyone he cared for back to life, leaving him searching for a way to end his life by creating demons instead.

The last time he had seen his brother was when Natsu was still just a baby. It made it impossible to tell by appearance alone if they were the same or not, but logic gave him enough of an answer. Still, he felt uneasy and uncertain, questioning just how much he should tell the dragon slayer if he ever saw the boy again. The pinkette had made him promise to be his friend, but now, Zeref was more wary than before about actually keeping that promise. The more distance between them the better, in order to keep Natsu alive and safe.

A pain throbbed in his head, making Zeref close his eyes and press a hand to his temple. He needed to think about something else, before his magic became uncontrollable once more. Memories were not good thoughts to have, not when it reminded him of lives that he once cared for. Sighing, he returned his thoughts to the future. Soon, he would be on a journey to end all of this pain and struggling with his power. Nirvana would set him free, and then, he would finally be able to let death claim him.

He had not let himself consider this plan failing. Right now, his mind was in a dangerous place. It had been a long time since he felt so much sorrow filling him. He had just killed more innocent people, and after meeting a potential friend, he had never felt so alone. Zeref had always known he wouldn’t be able to mix with society, but the truth of that was finally sinking in more than it had over the last few years. Mavis’ death had been the true start of the darkness in his heart, and now, his curse was showing him just how much she had altered his perception of life.

At first, he did have to admit he killed often. His peers at his academy had all perished when he first became cursed, as had his instructors. Still, it hadn’t taken Zeref long to abandon the idea that life was valuable. All things died, so why did it matter if he cared about them or not? That had been around the time when he began making demons, he recalled. Still, surrounding himself with more death and blood had blinded him for some time. Eventually, instead of feeling motivated to keep working, he simply felt…empty. There was no desire to keep creating demons, nor did he desire to act at all in the world. So, he roamed the forests, simply exploring rather than acting.

That had been when he met Mavis, during his explorations. She reminded him of the value of life, and with that, his curse attacked with a vengeance. The world rejected him once more, just as it had when he began experimenting with bringing the dead back to life. He had grown used to it, over the last century, and while he had not let go of the value of life, he had altered his thought process to adjust to it. Instead of seeing people for who they were, he tried to see them as pawns. Now, however, those lines were blurring and he was having trouble keeping people at arms length from himself.

Zeref grimaced in his seat, leaning back against the hard backrest. His back arched slightly against the surface, cracking in spots as he tried to stretch out his muscles. Zeref simply felt tired at the moment, tired of life itself. Everyone he loved died, yet he remained set apart from time itself. The world moved on without him, and never once let him join in with others. As a result, he could not shake the feeling that things would not turn out well, should he ever forget the value of life again.

Death, at least, was still a reasonable path for him to take. He had held out against it for so long, wishing to save Mavis first. With Precht’s help, she had been entombed within Lumen Histoire, preserved much like his family had been when they perished. However, Mavis was still alive in some way, though it was difficult to tell without magical ability to sense her power. His curse demanded her death, but at the same time, her own curse demanded that she lived on. Somehow, both found a way to succeed, and she was further from his reach than she had ever been.

Nothing could save her, Zeref decided now. Perhaps with him gone, and his curse gone, the force keeping her in her death-like sleep would vanish. The thought made him smile, pleased that at least one person would be aided through his death. Letting go of life just might be the best idea he had gotten in the recent years, though succeeding in doing so would be a larger challenge than most of what he had ever tried to do.

Someone sat down in the seat next to Zeref, turning towards him with a smile. He seemed quite average, with dark blue hair. His blue eyes were light, and he seemed somehow familiar to Zeref. “Hey, I didn’t realize you were still in town. I thought you would’ve been off running, with the rune knights after you and all.”

His comment finally made recognition fall upon Zeref. While he was no longer in his former uniform, this was Officer Jackson, the man who had been protecting Oshibana Station when Eisenwald had attacked. “Yes, though I suppose I am off on another mission today.” Zeref stated quietly, glancing away.

“Oh? Are you going alone?” Jackson sounded mildly curious, but Zeref did not reply. The less the boy knew, the better things would be. When Zeref didn’t speak, Jackson continued on anyway. “Must be an easier job, then. You seem strong enough, I’m sure you’ll be fine. Still, if you need any help, you can always let me know. Like I said, I come from a family of wizards. I could ask my father—“

“That will not be necessary.” Zeref stated, before the man could continue on. Jackson looked slightly puzzled, frowning at Zeref as the black wizard sighed. “My companions are meeting me here. I assure you, there is nothing owed to me anymore for freeing this station. So long as you help misdirect the rune knights on my behalf, you will have more than repaid your debt.”

The officer seemed to grow quiet for a moment, nodding slightly. “I haven’t seen them in town, if that helps. Then again, I’ve been off duty for a while. This town gets little bursts of crime lately, with Eisenwald so close by. When dark wizards attack, we get overloaded with work, but once that’s been dealt with, they try to give us some time off.”

His explanation didn’t really matter all that much to Zeref. However, the man turned out to be more observant than Zeref first thought he was. Jackson’s voice became quieter, his gaze turning away from Zeref as he focused on staring at the pillar in front of their seat. “Rumor has it that another dark guild has replaced them, actually. With you still being in town…I have to wonder, are you a part of this guild?”

Turning towards Jackson, Zeref narrowed his eyes. “Are you sure you wish to find out? Answering your question would not benefit either of us. If I am a part of this guild, revealing that fact would either put your job at risk, or risk my own ability to act freely. If I am not, I have no useful information to provide you with and neither of us truly gains. Simply put, answering is pointless for both of us, and would be a waste of time.”

Zeref mentally cursed himself for his words. He was far too defensive, making it quite clear what the true answer was. He needed to learn how to interact with others better, but he rarely found the time to socialize with anyone. “Those are some valid points, I guess. Still…I’d suggest being a bit quieter, if you are a part of that guild. Oshibana may have gotten used to Eisenwald, but they kept people silent through fear. A new dark guild won’t have the same reputation…and will likely get reported quickly.” Jackson explained.

This time, Zeref’s brows drew together on his forehead, frowning as his skin creased over his eyes. “Why?” he questioned softly, though perhaps he needed to elaborate the question.

Jackson seemed to understand somehow, though. “Like I said, I’ve been around magic my whole life. Never once have I been able to use it…part of me just wants to help out anyone who seems like they have the potential to do good in the world. With your magic, and the fact that you are a part of a dark guild too…it gives me hope, in a way.” It was so odd, thinking about his past and what he had done. Just how could he make anyone see good in him, as well as associate his face with hope? “Dark guilds normally terrorize people and give me tons of work to do in town. You—er, this new guild, doesn’t seem to be the same. I went to get a drink the other night, and I heard from the bartender that this guild refuses to take any jobs that involve killing, too. Seems strange, for a dark guild, but I guess that means that even some dark guilds have light in their hearts.”

“You are helping me…because you think I am good.” Zeref stated quietly, smiling as he shook his head. “Please, do not make such things up. Despite my appearance, and despite my previous actions, I assure you that there is nothing good within me. I have long since lost the ability to help this world, and there is no path back to the person I used to be.”

The black wizard’s smile had faded as he spoke, a hollowness weighing him down as he hunched over in his seat. “I’m not making things up.” Jackson’s reply made Zeref turn his head slightly, seeing the man’s green eyes focused on him. There was a small smile on the officer’s face, his arms resting by his sides. “No matter what you’ve gone through in your past…no matter how many losses you experience or how many changes occur in your life, we all find a way to move forward. Take it from someone who knows, change isn’t always a bad thing. As painful as it is, it can show us just how wrong we’ve been, and set us on the right path.”

Closing his eyes, Zeref wished things were as simple as Jackson made them out to be. His path had been complicated to the extent that doing the right thing would still result in pain and sorrow for the world. If he attempted to protect the world, his curse would destroy it instead. If he wished to forget the value of life to keep his curse at bay, he would kill due to his own insensitivity to the lives of others. If he searched for isolation, he would go insane from the loneliness and inaction of that life. Finally, if he searched for death, the people that saw such light within him would find pain from losing him.

Running a hand through his hair, Zeref wondered just which choice was the right one. “Jackson…this may sound like an odd question, but I have no one else to ask. Suppose you have a decision to make, with no possible good outcome. Just what would you do then? If every choice leads to death and despair for the world…how can you possibly choose a path that is right?”

The officer seemed to look sad for a moment, turning away as he grew quiet and thoughtful. As a patient man, Zeref had no issue with the moment of silence. He could hear the rumbling of tires on the trains tracks as one of the trains departed, filling up the room as footsteps echoed more quietly around him. After a few moments, Jackson returned his gaze towards Zeref. “I’d look for another option, I guess. Not everyone is going to be pleased, it isn’t possible to make everyone happy. However, if you can find a path that helps at least a single person, then I’d say that’s the better option, if your situation really is that bad.”

The officer paused again, turning towards Zeref. The black wizard was thinking about Mavis again, and his theory that the end of his life would free her. Perhaps this was the right choice, then. It may help her, and ultimately, it would remove the threat of his magic from this world. “Is…is this about the rune knights? Are you thinking about fighting back?” Jackson’s questions went unanswered, as a group of wizards approached them. Laxus and his team had arrived, and they were frowning at the companion sitting with Zeref. “Look, I know it isn’t my business…but you don’t exactly have to kill anyone to win. Like I said, I can help misdirect them for a bit. My job comes from the city, not the Magic Council. Lying to them isn’t going to get me fired, not anytime soon, okay?”

“Oi, what’s this idiot going on about?” Laxus demanded, narrowing his gaze at the man. “Is he giving you trouble, Ma—“

Zeref cut him off, not letting Laxus finish revealing his position to Jackson. “It is fine, Laxus. Jackson, these are the companions of mine that I told you about before. Laxus, Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen, this is Officer Jackson. He was at the station a few days ago, when Eisenwald attacked.”

With Zeref’s explanation, Laxus seemed to calm down only slightly. Evergreen huffed, tilting her head imperiously as she looked away from him. “Well, he doesn’t look like much to me. It doesn’t surprise me that he needed our help to free his town.” she insisted.

With a slight smile, Jackson ignored her slight barb and rose to his feet. “Well, I guess I’ll leave you to your mission then. If you ever need advice or want to check in on the status of rumors around town, feel free to find me. My train should be coming soon, I’ve got some family I’m visiting in Hargeon for a little while, but I’ll be back in town soon.” he explained, waving as he moved to walk off.

Frowning at him, Freed watched as he left. “That seemed quite odd. Is he aware of who we are?” he questioned, turning towards Zeref.

The black wizard continued staring after the retreating figure of the officer, smiling ever so slightly. While Jackson may not be aware of it, he had only strengthened Zeref’s resolve to finish this mission. “Not quite, but he is close to the truth. In fact…I do believe he helped me a great deal today.”

With that, Zeref glanced towards the others and focused once more. “Whatever.” Laxus complained, shaking his head. “We’ve still got a long ride ahead of us. We’re going to Rosenwald, and this train will only take us to the city bordering that forest. I think we’ve got more important things to focus on than a single man who might figure out our secret.”

“Of course. The train leaves soon. I assume you are all prepared?” Zeref questioned, turning towards them.

Laxus nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. “Hell yes we are, like I said, we’ve got this handled.” he insisted. “Still, I think there’s a better use for Nirvana than this. I got to thinking earlier, and Freed helped me come up with a different idea for the spell. Couldn’t you alter it to free Mavis instead?”

Stiffening, Zeref focused on Laxus with narrowed eyes. “That would be…difficult, to say the least. It is not simple to move Mavis, and to free her, she would need to be near Nirvana when it activates.” His explanation was given in a tense voice. He had not even considered this option. Instead, he had been selfish, only seeing how it could end his own suffering rather than that of others.

Then again, ending his own curse still had the potential to end Mavis’ trapped state. On top of that, it would help prevent future deaths, an added bonus. “Yes, but freeing her has been your goal since you first took over the guild, at least, that’s what I’ve heard.” Freed stated, looking serious.

“Yeah, and with her back, you’ll finally get rid of this crazy idea of yours. After all, with a body like that, no one could resist the First master, am I right?” Bickslow stated, grinning widely at the mention of Mavis’ looks.

Glaring slightly for the rude comment, Zeref turned away. “My mind is settled on this matter. Perhaps Nirvana could free Mavis…but the world is better off if I die sooner rather than later. Not only will it end my own suffering, it will also prevent countless more deaths in the future.” His black eyes were hardening, more focused the longer he spoke. Laxus and his companions shared a look as a voice called out for them to begin boarding their train. Zeref was not backing down from this, not anytime soon. He would find a way to end his life, and Nirvana was the key to accomplishing that goal.


	24. The Path to Nirvana

The train ride was a bit tense, Zeref noted. Laxus and his team spent the time glaring at anyone who walked by, and sometimes at Zeref as well. It was obvious that they had not agreed with his decision, but he would stand by it. Zeref had not lived as long as he had without dealing with people who tried to fight back against his decisions. It was quite common, and he was used to thinking through their complaints logically before finalizing his choice.

This time had been no different, but it did not change the fact that Laxus, Freed, Evergreen, and Bickslow seemed to want to do something about his choice. Their only words on the trip were suggestions about how much happier Mavis would be, if Zeref was still around when she was freed. Constant attempts to rationalize surviving were being thrown at him, all varying from doing it for Mavis, to staying alive for the guild. None of them even attempted to say Zeref would be happy in his life, and for that, Zeref was glad. He did not think he would be able to remain calm if any of them stated it would be simple and pleasant living his life.

Luckily, the train ride was over now. Laxus and his team had not gotten any closer to convincing Zeref that he had the wrong decision in mind. Instead, Zeref began walking silently, seeing that they had arrived in a rather small village. Houses were sparse and slightly run down, and people seemed to stay close to their homes. As Zeref walked passed, he watched a mother grab her child’s hand, pulling him away quickly as the wizards traveled along the path towards the eastern side of town.

“So, where are we even going in this place?” Laxus asked, frowning at their surroundings. “It looks like a dump to me, and the people don’t seem all that willing to share info with us.”

Reaching into his pocket, Zeref pulled the map out once more. Spreading it out, he could see the lines drawn on wrinkled paper, with landmarks detailing the area nearby. Currently, they were in the nearest town to the forest. From there, it appeared to be a short walk to the place that held the spell. “Eisenwald did have a map available for use, though the exact location was not known to them. It will still get us close enough for me to sense where it is. At least, that is my hopes for now.”

“What about this other guild you mentioned? Did you have a plan in mind for dealing with them?” Evergreen demanded, a hand on her hip. The town seemed rather hushed as they walked, with people gazing at them as they passed. It was odd, the way they avoided strangers and seemed to cling to the buildings of the town. Then again, this close to Nirvana, they had likely seen some minor effects of the spell surrounding the city. Places and people that had once been light had been tainted and transformed into darkness. 

That was likely why these people were wary of strangers, especially a group heading towards the forest that contained Nirvana. “I will make one when the time comes. As of right now, I am not entirely aware of the magic used by their members. Rumors are not a good basis for making plans, and as a result, we will need to face them for a better idea of their power.” Zeref explained.

Soon, the path ended in town, cut off by thick trees that bordered the landscape. A farm rested to their left, the fields running all the way to the forest before stopping. No one was around to question their presence, and Zeref was not in the mood to wait too long before entering this place. Ignoring the sign put up, labeling this as a dead end, Zeref moved forward into the forest. He pushed aside branches, trying to keep them from cutting into the paper map he had. To protect it, he folded it once more and put it away for now.

Following behind him, Laxus came a bit closer. “Sounds like you’re not so sure about this idea yourself, if you ask me. Incomplete plans for locating Nirvana, and no plans at all for dealing with these great threats you tried to warn us about. Maybe we should back out of this, Master. After all, we wouldn’t want you to kill yourself and regret it later.”

“By what logic did you reach that conclusion?” Zeref questioned, turning his head towards Laxus. “There is no reason to believe that an afterlife exists. Once the body dies, there is nothing more. No more thoughts, no more pain, no more regrets. All that is left is peace, an endless void that will swallow me whole and finally end all of this sorrow and suffering I’ve seen and experienced in life.”

Tilting his head, Laxus seemed to smirk slightly. “Well, nothing says there isn’t one, either. What if you’re wrong? Are you really interested in seeing hell, Old Man?” It was usually the nickname used for Makarov, but at the moment, Zeref could not help but feel it was fitting for himself as well.

Shaking his head, Zeref frowned slightly. “It would not be so simple as that. Are our actions judged, or our intentions? Determining if my afterlife, if such a thing exists, would be pleasant or not would be quite a challenge. Centuries of choices to judge, not all of them made for the right reasons. Darkness surely outweighs the light, however, so perhaps you are correct. Even so, no torture conceived after my death could be worse than the torment I’ve experienced in life.” 

Freed joined in, seeing opportunity to debate with Zeref once more. “Well, what about Mavis? Surely you do realize that you are the only wizard capable of comprehending the spell that binds her to her current state. Are you going to leave her like that for all of eternity?” 

His question was the one that had given Zeref pause for most of this trip, but Jackson’s comment had proven to Zeref that this was the right path, the one that helped at least a single person. “In time, someone will learn to analyze and understand her curse. It may take longer, but one day, someone will put an end to the puzzle created by her existence. Meanwhile, the world will have…peace, in a way, without me. No more pointless death, and no more suffering for those who lose loved ones to my magic.”

Evergreen snorted, shaking her head. “If you ask me, you are taking the easy way out. We all have problems, but it is just improper to attempt to hide from them like a coward.” she insisted. 

This time, her words made Zeref stop and turn towards her. “Hide?” he questioned darkly, his gaze hardening and transforming into a glare. “Evergreen, can you possibly imagine what my life is like? Take a moment and see things from my point of view. I’ve watched as wars began and ended, and seen all of the death and blood that came from them as a result. I’ve watched the death of my entire family, and at some point, I’ve even forgotten the value of life. I created destruction and chaos, attempting to end my life long ago, before finding a single moment of peace, a single reminder that life could be valued. Now, imagine that at that moment, you lose control of the power you possess. The abilities you have, the ability to create and end life, spin out of control and spill out, much like water overfilling a glass. Death now surrounds you, the deaths of the few people you had become friends with, the ones that reminded you of its importance. Tell me, would you wish to continue on, after killing every single one of your friends? If your magic killed Laxus, are you saying you would be pleased with the result and not wish to run from the pain?”

Her face was ashen, pale as she gazed around at her companions. Everyone was silent at his outburst, uncertain about what to say to his story. Zeref rarely spoke about his past to anyone, but at the moment, it was the only way to make them understand. “I…I did not mean to say…” Evergreen tried, but she broke off at Zeref’s harsh glare. Her gaze turned downward, staring at her feet as she crossed her arms in front of her, clasping her hands tightly.

“Of course you did not. No one ever thinks their words through, and it always leads to insults and pain.” Zeref stated darkly, shaking his head. “Everything in this life, no matter how innocent it may seem, will ultimately lead to more pain and sorrow in the end. That is the true reason I feel as if death is the best option, because after all of these years, it only seems right that I am claimed by the same force that ends everyone else.”

No one had anything more to add at that point, simply following in silence as Zeref created a path through the trees. A few dips in the landscape made the trip tiring, with hills dotting the area. Deeper in, bushes and roots would get in the way. There was not a path made for travelers here, and the spell was likely hidden in the center of this place. Zeref would not be surprised if they had to wander for hours to find Nirvana.

Closing his eyes, Zeref tried to sense for a magical aura within this forest. Most wizards could do this to find another wizard, but it became more challenging to use it to locate a spell. After years of studying magic and living in this world, Zeref’s senses had expanded to the point where he could locate almost any magic with this method. 

The aura of Nirvana should have been strong, considering the power of the spell. However, it was difficult for Zeref to sense as he walked through the forest. Someone had sealed it away, it appeared, dulling the normal magical energy that would resonate in the air, guiding him in the right direction. In fact, it was almost easier to narrow down the location of the seal, rather than the actual spell. That indicated a powerful seal, one that would actually take some time for Zeref to unravel and break. The sheer amount of magic coming from the seal was enough to make him hesitate, unsure of if he could break it without knowledge of exactly which sealing spell was used. A variety of spells can seal away magic, though they all had the same result. The main difference was in how to unravel that energy, and the difficulty of breaking it for those unaware of the true spell that had been cast.

Following the signal of the seal, Zeref turned as he passed by a thinning tree. The landscape here seemed to be altering slightly. Trees were more scarce, and there were a few open areas where smaller shrubs and plants could be seen. As he passed by a slight clearing, he could see the downturn of a cliff, overlooking the center of Rosenwald. Staring off into the distance, Zeref frowned at the sight of black spreading like ink across the trees below. Nirvana’s taint seemed to be affecting the plants here, not just people.

Pointing towards the sight, Zeref stopped his companions. “There. Within the sea of darkness is where we will find Nirvana. I am rather surprised others have not located it before, it seems to be giving off quite a powerful signal with the discoloration of the forest.” His comment made the others nod, while Freed frowned thoughtfully.

“Perhaps they were afraid of the dangers of the spell. Is it possible that Nirvana can affect us, even before it is activated?” Freed questioned.

Laxus snorted, shaking his head. “Yeah right, like that’ll happen. If Nirvana was that dangerous, the Magic Council would have destroyed it ages ago. Those old geezers may not do much, but they are smart enough to know when to stop a catastrophe like that.” 

While Laxus was confident in his words, Zeref was not quite as certain. “Perhaps they did already act…the aura I’m sensing is not that of Nirvana, but that of a sealing spell surrounding it. Someone did not want Nirvana to be used, and it would not surprise me if the Council had a hand in hiding it away.” He narrowed his eyes, staring deeper into the forest as they approached the edge of the cliff. He would have to find a path down, but for now he could get a better grasp of where he was going.

Keeping the landscape in mind, Zeref began to walk along the edge of the cliff, trying to locate a path down towards the center of the forest. “A sealing spell, huh?” Bickslow commented, grinning. “Looks like this’ll be interesting. My babies will blow right through that thing for ya, Master.”

It appeared as if his companions were not intelligent in the workings of sealing spells, Zeref noted. At least, that was his first impression until Freed spoke again. “Don’t be a fool, Bickslow. Sealing magic isn’t all that different from my enchantments. It will require precision and a delicate hand to undo such a spell, especially if it is powerful enough to be sensed from this far away. I wouldn’t be surprised if it took multiple wizards to establish such a powerful seal.”

Nodding in agreement, Zeref smiled slightly. “Indeed, however, I think we have more than enough strength to break it right here. Freed, have you ever attempted breaking such spells before?” Zeref turned towards the man, watching the other wizard shake his head slightly.

“No, that typically isn’t my area of expertise. I’m usually the one writing the rules, creating traps for oncoming threats while Laxus fights them off after our opponent is immobilized.” Freed explained, glancing around at the others. “If we are facing multiple opponents, Evergreen and Bickslow help fight off the threats as well. My talents lie in ensuring that everyone is trapped as needed, and that they fall into the right place at the right moment to activate my spells.”

Evergreen crossed her arms over her chest, sighing as she shook her head. “Honestly, I thought you knew our magic better than this, Master. If you wanted someone to break sealing magic, you should have looked elsewhere for your assistants.” She sounded a bit annoyed, but Zeref did not really mind.

Observing the group for a moment, Zeref nodded to himself and moved on. He had finally found a path down, though it was a bit of a steep walk. The hill inclined sharply, and was covered in tree roots from the plants growing at the edge of the cliff. Walking carefully, he began to descend towards the center of the forest. “I am quite capable of breaking it myself, however, a second person would have made the process a bit quicker.” he explained.

“Well, so much for hoping you wouldn’t be able to reach Nirvana.” Laxus commented, shaking his head. “Seriously, I get that life sucks, but why go to all of this effort just to die? Don’t take this the wrong way, but you should at least think about the guild for a moment before doing this, Master. I…as much as I hate to admit it, there isn’t anyone else capable of leading the guild with you gone. Not even I could do a decent job, not with us being a dark guild and all. I just don’t know how they operate, not like you do.”

“Do you truly wish to discuss this again?” Zeref stated quietly, a tenseness in his voice. “I’ve made my stance clear, and you will not be altering my decision.”

Ignoring any further protests, Zeref picked up his pace to travel towards Nirvana. He could see the landscape around him transforming, becoming darker as he neared the spell. Black snaked along the ground, tainting plants and leaving Zeref feeling as if he was surrounded by his own magic for a moment. It was odd, seeing something so different act so similarly to Ankhseram’s Curse. Then again, this spell was designed to transform light into darkness, so perhaps it wasn’t all that different than the contradictory nature of his own magic.

When they reached another clearing, this time Zeref stopped. A massive sphere-like object rested before them, practically implanted into the ground. Surrounding it was a lacework of magic circles, all of them interwoven and glowing brightly in a dark purple color. His companions stared at Nirvana with wide eyes, as Zeref smiled and reached his hand out to touch the magical seal, almost as if it were a wall before him. It felt almost like a weight was rising from his shoulders as he stared at it, the one object that may be his salvation. Finally, he had a path to reach peace. All he had to do now was lift the seal, and activate Nirvana to transform his dark curse into its complete opposite.


	25. Higher Priorities

The investigation of Fairy Tail’s basement had concluded, and now, Lahar was back in his hotel room with the dragon slayer. Currently, he had to prepare his report for the Council. Considering how little they had found, Lahar didn’t even know what to tell them. Constant updates were required for his job, but he disliked reporting that he had learned nothing of value, even with all of the time he had wasted in Magnolia.

He had sent his rune knights throughout town too, searching for the remaining members of Fairy Tail that had been interrogated before. Today, as he had been returning from Fairy Tail’s former guild hall, he had finally heard from those knights about what they had found. Apparently, the wizards were no longer in Magnolia. Somehow, he had lost his chance to find them. The thought made him grimace, clenching his hands into fists on the table. Fairy Tail was gone, and the only clues he had were from the boy that refused to break his promise to August.

Natsu seemed bored, playing around with a few of the pencils he had lying around on the desk. He would roll them around, watching the paths they took before pushing them again when they stopped. It seemed mindless, but so long as it kept Natsu busy, Lahar could care less about what he was doing. The dragon slayer was getting on his last nerve, despite the fact that he had potential to join their ranks. The boy’s insistence that this dark wizard was good left Lahar perplexed, and it also made him realize that he was not going to get Natsu to budge on revealing August’s location to him.

Placing a lacrima on the desk of the room, Lahar leaned back and thought for a moment. Fairy Tail’s basement had proven to be odd, and based on Natsu’s words, a tomb of some kind. Why would they wish to protect a single body so badly? It was another mystery, leaving Lahar wondering just why they hid Mavis away. She had a gravesite on some distant island, but her true body was beneath her guild and guarded by monsters of some kind. Strangely, he didn’t know if it was Fairy Tail’s odd way of letting her rest in peace, or if there truly was some secret about their first master that he had yet to learn.

While it was valuable for understanding the people he was looking for, the tomb would not be something the Council had any interest in. The lingering lacrima, perhaps, would intrigue them, but he had no knowledge of what it was meant to do. The demon as well, would give them pause, especially when demons were almost always connected to the Black Wizard Zeref in some form. If Fairy Tail had anything to do with one of Zeref’s spells, they would be looking forward to a much more dangerous fight than Lahar had planned for.

Sighing, Lahar decided it would be best to get this over with. He turned the lacrima on, connecting the magic to the one in Era to speak with his superiors. Siegrain was the one to answer, frowning as he focused on the rune knight captain. “Lahar, I see you’ve finally found the time to report in. Have you learned anything about the whereabouts of Fairy Tail?”

Glancing away, Lahar swallowed and sighed. “No, not yet. From what I’ve gathered, they have left town, however, I have heard nothing about where they traveled to. I have knights looking into it, and I am trying to…convince Natsu to help.” Lahar glanced over towards the dragon slayer, watching as the boy snorted and shook his head.

“Not my problem. Like I said, I’m not turning him in, but I’ll still help find Fairy Tail” Natsu stated, looking mildly irritated.

Siegrain also did not look pleased. “I see. So, you have learned nothing of value, despite us giving you extra time to infiltrate the guild and attempt to gain information from the inside. Tell me, how did that aspect of the job go? Have you heard anything from Doranbolt since he left?”

Closing his eyes, Lahar let his head hang slightly downward. “No, sir. I am sorry, but he seems to have vanished along with the guild. I don’t know if he is with the wizards of Fairy Tail, or if he found a different lead. Either way, we are in the dark as to his actions at the moment.” 

The wizard saint leaned back, looking like he was in a chair of some form as he spoke. Details were always hard to tell with a lacrima, but he made do with what he had. “Interesting. Well, if Natsu is not being of any use to you, the Council did tell me to provide him with a different mission. Tell me, have you heard much about the actions of Oracion Seis lately?”

The man’s question made Lahar pause for a moment. He blinked at Siegrain, shaking his head as he tried to clear his surprise. “The dark guild? They have nothing to do with Fairy Tail, though. I had assumed that Natsu was simply here to aid the mission against them.”

“You are correct. To our knowledge, Oracion Seis has not come into contact with Fairy Tail, despite our fears of the former official guild becoming powerful enough to join the ranks of the Baram Alliance.” Siegrain explained, frowning as he glanced away. “However, that does not mean Oracion Seis is being quiet as of late. Another unit has given us a report on new action from the dark guild, and it is not good.”

Lahar folded his hands in front of him, leaning forward with a frown. “I understand your concerns, however, if I just had a little more time, I’m sure I could—“ He had been trying to convince Siegrain that he could change Natsu’s mind, but the council member was not going to hear it.

The blue haired man glared at him sharply, his anger apparent even through the filmy image on the lacrima. “Do not question your orders, Lahar. You are still a rune knight, serving directly under our orders. I could have you removed entirely from this mission if I wished, so it would be wise to listen and do as you are told.” 

Stiffening, Lahar remained silent with his lips clenched tightly together. He had been worried about that very event occurring. On the surface, being pulled from a mission was not terrible. Sometimes, jobs were not entirely feasible with the information provided, and the skill levels of the wizards involved in investigations aren’t always best suited towards the task at hand. However, among the rune knights, being pulled from a job said more about your skill as an officer than anything else. For Lahar, it would mean he was not fit to be a captain, that he could not lead his unit to enforce the laws as the Council saw fit. In essence, being pulled from a mission ensured that there would be no further chances for advancing within his career, and that his ability to serve his country would end at that very moment.

Seeing that Lahar was no longer arguing back, Siegrain smiled slightly and continued on. “I am not pulling you form this mission yet, Lahar, I simply wished to remind you of the possibility.” The wizard saint glanced away for a moment, before focusing back on their conversation. “Regardless, the matter at hand is no longer Fairy Tail. In fact, they no longer hold top priority in our missions at hand. Oracion Seis has taken their place, with the reports that they are after a spell we sealed away centuries ago. Tell me, have you heard of Nirvana?”

Shaking his head, Lahar glanced over towards Natsu. The dragon slayer had stopped playing with pencils, and was now staring over at them, listening in to their conversation. It made sense, considering it was about him in a way. “I can’t say that I have. The Council has sealed away many weapons in the past, it is quite difficult to remember all of them.”

Indeed, the Council was always busy sealing away dangerous magic from the public. Most spells were ones that had dated back to Zeref’s active days, but there were a few that seemed to pop up in more recent years as well. Power always found its way into the hands of the wicked, and dark wizards were always creating new spells to torment the world with. This Nirvana was no different, and he could already see that it was going to be another task of stopping a dark guild from obtaining a legendary artifact.

Siegrain looked grave, gazing into Lahar’s eyes with a frown. “It is a spell, designed to transform light into dark. We do not know what motive Oracion Seis has for obtaining its power, but it cannot be good. With Nirvana in their grasp, they can transform even the lightest of guilds over to their side, and start massive wars and massacres around the world with ease. This is something we cannot allow, and that is why for the first time in history, we are asking for local guilds to aid in destroying one of the Baram Alliance. The others have agreed with me, it is time for us to stop hiding in the shadows and to begin fighting back for our world.” 

Those words sent a chill through Lahar. Siegrain was talking about starting a war with one of the most powerful dark guilds in existence. Granted, it was the weakest of the three, but it did not mean the members it contained were simple to defeat. “How would Natsu be capable of dealing with a threat like this? Maybe he does have some…talent with magic, but he is not of the skill level necessary to defeat dark wizards of that caliber.”

The dragon slayer looked irritated, sitting up straighter to glare at Lahar. “Hey! I’m plenty strong, I can take on any wizard you throw at me. Just tell me where I’m going, I’ll stop these stupid wizards for ya. It’ll beat sitting around here all day, since Lahar won’t stop asking me about…well, the wizard I met a few days ago.”

“I have reasons to believe he is a dangerous dark wizard. Is there a reason for me to not inquire about his location, with what I’ve learned?” Lahar countered, raising an eyebrow at the boy.

Natsu grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest and turning away. “Whatever, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m not tracking him down for you. Our mission is Fairy Tail, not him, right? So, let’s just focus on finding them when I get back from beating up these Oracion Seis wizards.” His confidence only made Lahar sigh, wondering if Natsu even knew of the Oracion Seis at all.

“It is good to hear you are on board for this, Natsu. You will be meeting with the others in the town bordering Rosenwald, the forest containing the spell. From there, your orders will come from Ichiya of Blue Pegasus, a powerful wizard who has been given the details of the mission.” Siegrain’s voice was calm and collected as he spoke, unlike Lahar’s irritated expression. “We are uniting teams from the strongest of guilds to face off against Oracion Seis. While their numbers are few, they are powerful and not to be trifled with. I look forward to hearing of your success, Natsu. It’ll be an interesting battle before you, and should you succeed, we may be inclined to officially make you a member of the rune knights for your services to us.”

Stifling a gasp, Lahar glanced towards the dragon slayer who only smirked. “Yeah, well, I might not be all that interested.” he commented, shaking his head. “I’ve got my own mission to focus on. There’s someone I have to find, and I doubt anyone in your organization can help me with that.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure. Keep in mind, there are other options for your future, Natsu. I can see a lot of potential with your power, potential that we could use one day.” Siegrain stated, smiling even though Natsu was still out of range. “Captain, I do hope you do better next time. If Fairy Tail is no longer in Magnolia, perhaps it is time to expand your search. Look to the neighboring towns, and investigate places like Hargeon and Oshibana for news of those wizards. I assume you don’t need me telling you how likely it is for them to try and escape through the harbor, do I?”

“Yes sir, I’ll send someone on that right away.” Lahar stated, glancing down. It felt like the wrong move to make, but he had no choice. The light of the lacrima shut off with that, leaving him glancing towards Natsu with a frown. Things had just become much more complicated, and right now, he was losing the only person around that might be capable of tracking down Fairy Tail wizards. Still, maybe it was a good thing Natsu was leaving. Now, he would not have someone on his team constantly trying to protect one of the very wizards he was investigating. Hardening his gaze, Lahar began to get back to work, writing out new orders for his unit. They would find Fairy Tail, even if he had to search every city in Fiore to locate them. Lahar would be the one to do so, and he would not let anyone else get in his way of serving justice to the guild who thought they could take away his reputation as the rune knights’ most promising officer.


	26. A New Team

Part of Natsu was beginning to regret accepting this new job. One again, he found himself on a train to some far away city, for what felt like weeks. His stomach churned violently, and each lurch of the train sent more of his last meal into his mouth. He tried to swallow it back down most of the time, but when the train took a sharp turn around the landscape of Fiore, the force became too strong for his usual method to work.

He groaned at the sight of the passing landscape, rolling over onto his back with a grimace. He just wanted this ride to be over, but it didn’t seem to help anything. This agony had already lasted for hours, since he said goodbye to Lahar at the station. The rune knight had seemed oddly eager to get rid of him, though Natsu didn’t mind. It meant fewer questions about Zeref, the man who he had promised to protect to some degree.

That was his other issue, one he didn’t quite know how to deal with. Natsu didn’t like breaking promises, yet he couldn’t seem to figure out a way to keep his promise to Lahar and his promise to Zeref. Back in the guild’s basement, he had tried his best. He gave Lahar limited information on what he was smelling in that place, and told him anything that seemed like it would relate to the guild. However, when it became clear that the strange mixture of living and death-like smells was a signal of the curse Zeref was living with, Natsu had realized just who else had been in that place. From that point on, it became nearly impossible to not talk about Zeref, when Fairy Tail was the one hiding the girl he had cared about before.

As a result, he had accidentally slipped up and given away Zeref’s fake name. Still, he hadn’t expected Lahar to recognize it. Things were bad, if the rune knights were already looking for him. At least right now, this mission could give him a way of delaying Zeref’s arrest. Taking his time now would mean Zeref had more time to hide himself away. The Council would remained interested in finishing the mission with Nirvana, and Natsu would get the chance to fight a few wizards along the way. It sounded like a good plan at first, but now he was doubting his original intentions.

Groaning, Natsu pressed his cheek into the backrest of the train seat. A few other travelers were watching him with disgust in their eyes, though most simply tried to ignore him. He was used to having issues traveling, but this time seemed to make him even more adamant about never taking a train again. Boats were worse, but trains still took forever to get to their destination and made him feel terrible for hours and hours on end.

After what seemed like forever, the train finally came to a stop. Natsu’s eyes were still closed, buried in the seat as people began getting off. It was his stop too, but he couldn’t quite get passed the dizziness right now. The world was spinning, and he clung tightly to the seat for a moment as he attempted to rise to his feet. Unfortunately, it still felt like the world was moving around him. He slipped and fell, landing on his butt and grimacing as he rubbed his lower back in response. That made him vow once more to never take a train again, no matter who ordered him to do it.

Finally managing to make it up to his feet, Natsu stumbled along the aisle until he finally got off of the train. It tore off on the tracks when he was off, immediately trying to leave as soon as the final passenger got off at the station. Now, Natsu stood and gazed around at his new surroundings. Siegrain had told him later on that he would find his comrades quickly and with ease. Apparently, this town had a strong dislike of strangers which made it easy for others to be spotted. 

Walking throughout the station, Natsu saw just how true that was. People hid in corners, turning their gazes away from him as they focused on their family and friends instead of him. The dragon slayer wanted to try and help, but Siegrain had given him a little bit of information that explained it. Apparently, years ago a dark wizard had come into this town. He had told all of them that he’d help give them wealth beyond their wildest dreams. Instead, the wizard had been after Nirvana. He would shower the townsfolk with gifts, while asking them about any strange occurrences within the forest nearby.

Not long after learning Nirvana’s location, the wizard had shown his true colors. Enraged by the seal that prevented the wizard from using it, he attacked the innocents of the town to try and find a way to break through the spell. No one within the town understood magic, however, and it was a one-sided massacre. Ever since then, the townsfolk did not trust strangers, especially wizards that came asking questions about the forest nearby.

The Council had ordered Natsu to keep his mission quiet as a result, though it was often difficult for him to do so. He was used to talking to everyone he met in his travels, since it was the only way for him to make new friends lately. Natsu spent so much time traveling, searching down any rumors of dragons, that he never really sat down and talked to anyone for a long time. Making friends became a difficult task, and he tried to bond with people everywhere he went as a result.

Maybe the people here would make it easier, he decided. Besides, it wasn’t likely that people this far away from normal society would know anything about where to find a dragon. Natsu had made a note to try and find more rumors about Igneel, since he had been distracted lately with the Council, but this place didn’t seem like a good spot to try. People wouldn’t want to talk to him here anyway, and Igneel seemed to have found a good hiding spot. 

Walking through town, it became obvious that Siegrain had been right originally, when he described how simple it would be to find the others. A group of wizards had gathered and were talking in hushed voices in the streets, with the normal residents avoiding them just like they avoided Natsu. The dragon slayer walked towards them, grinning as he observed the small group. There was a tall muscular man, bald but with a serious gaze on his face. By his side was another wizard, with pure white hair and a jacket over his arms. He gave Natsu a slight nod as the dragon slayer approached, crossing his arms over his chest.

Next to the white haired man seemed to be a group of three men, all of them dressed elegantly in dark suits with pastel undershirts. The three of them were fawning over some girl amongst the group, practically a child with dark blue hair and a cat flying by her side. Talking to them all, however, was a short man with bright orange hair. “We are gathered here today for one purpose only! We must locate Nirvana, and protect it from the dangers of the Oracion Seis!” Ichiya was declaring boldly, his hand held into the air.

“Yes, we were all told that in the job description.” The white haired wizard was complaining, looking irritated as he glanced over towards the newcomer. “Then again, we’ve finally gotten our final member. I heard the Council had hand-selected you for this mission, and that you aren’t even a part of an official guild. What makes you so special?”

Smirking, Natsu crossed his arms over his chest, copying Lyon’s stance. “I’m a dragon slayer, I can track down anything you need found and destroy any enemy we face. No one will stop me, trust me.” he insisted.

The muscular man sighed, shaking his head at both of them. “Both of you, stop being so foolish. This is the Oracion Seis, one of the most fearsome dark guilds in existence. We would be fools to think we could take them on alone. In fact, I’m not even sure if this is enough power gathered here to take them down…” 

“Umm…sorry, but don’t you think we should introduce ourselves first?” the young girl finally spoke up, lifting her hand slightly into the air. Her brown eyes turned towards Natsu, giving him a small smile as the others quieted down. “I’m Wendy…I’m not much of a fighter, but I am good at support magic. I just thought, that since we’re working as a team and all, that we’d want to get to know everyone first.”

Even the white haired wizard seemed to soften at her words, giving her a slight smile. “Well, I’m Lyon. I use ice magic, and if it comes down to a fight, I guarantee you won’t get out of it without my skill backing us up.” he insisted.

Grinning, Natsu took those words as a challenge as the air around him began to heat up from his own magic. “Oh yeah? Wanna prove those words? My name’s Natsu, and I already told you about my magic.” His grin was wide, revealing his sharp teeth as Lyon seemed to prepare himself to defend against Natsu’s attack. However, Natsu was stopped when the muscular man grabbed him by the head, pulling him back with a sharp look.

“This is not the time to be fighting each other! We’ve got a mission to deal with.” he insisted, glancing around. “As for our introductions, I am Jura, of the ten wizard saints. My magic specializes in utilizing rock, though it is quite adaptable when used in a fight.”

Introductions thus far had been fairly ordinary, however, that seemed to be about to change. The three men in suits all seemed to smile brightly, posing as they stood together and smiled almost flirtatiously at their companions. “I am Ren, of Blue Pegasus.” one of them announced.

By his side, another one smiled brightly and knelt on the ground. “I am Eve, and I am here to serve in whatever way possible. Wendy, if you will please enchant us further with your presence, I would be oh so grateful.” 

At this point, it was almost as if the three men were surrounding the child, and ignoring everyone else. The final man was on the other side of Ren, smiling down at Wendy as he took her hand in his own, clasping it to his chest. “And I am Hibiki, please, do not let these fools deceive you. No one is more capable of tending to your needs than I am.”

Wendy was blushing deeply, looking like she was ready to run at any moment. Snapping his fingers, the orange haired man approached them with a slight frown. “Men! This is not the time for flirting.” he insisted. In an instant, all of them straightened up and rushed towards Ichiya’s side, apologizing profusely for their rudeness and inability to follow orders. “I am Ichiya, here to lead you all with my wonderful parfum!”

His nostrils flared as the man sniffed the air, making Natsu attempt to do the same. Nothing smelled odd to him, so he didn’t get why the guy was acting so weirdly. “My, you are all just a huge group of fools. Honestly, Wendy shouldn’t even have to be around people like you.” another voice echoed around them, feminine and coming from the cat by Wendy’s side. “I am Charle, and if any of you simpletons try to come near Wendy again, I will personally see that you are punished and never touch her again.”

“Charle…I don’t think they meant any harm…” Wendy tried, but things had already become a bit too chaotic for her to control.

Still, Ichiya took charge quickly and stood tall before them. At least, as tall as he could manage. “Men! We are all looking towards the future, which is on the brink of destruction should we fail. Let the parfum of darkness guide you all, for it is time for us to find and destroy the ultimate spell known as Nirvana!”

“Yeah, and we gotta hurry up too.” Natsu commented, glancing towards the trees. “I’ve got another mission to finish. The Council wants me to track down Fairy Tail, and lately, I’ve kind of been letting the rune knights down with that task. I guess I owe it to them to at least try again to find Fairy Tail’s wizards.”

The others seemed a bit surprised to hear of Natsu’s involvement. “Fairy Tail? I didn’t realize you were helping with that matter as well. Are they really becoming a dark guild?” Lyon questioned, sounding genuinely interested in the matter.

However, Ichiya did not react well to those words. “No! My honey has fallen into disgrace, at the hands of those monstrous wizards known as Fairy Tail! I shall find you, and save your lovely parfum from their dark influence!”

His fellow guilds members were restraining Ichiya, preventing the man from running off at a moment’s notice while Natsu focused more on Lyon’s comment instead. “Yeah, that’s what I’ve heard at least. They destroyed their guild hall and everything, it’s a huge mess back in Magnolia. Still…” Natsu paused for a moment, glancing away. “I’ve got a friend in that guild, so it makes it kind of hard for me to want to find them.”

The ice mage nodded, smiling slightly as he gazed at the horizon. “I…I think I may have an old friend in Fairy Tail as well. It has been quite some time, but I trained with another wizard years ago. We both followed her advice and decided to advance our power within a legitimate guild after….after she died.” The pain in Lyon’s voice was obvious, but the man’s anger was even more clear. His hands were clenched tightly into fists as he glared at the trees. “I promised I would surpass her one day, that I would become the most powerful wizard alive. One day…I’ll find a way to prove that I have become even stronger than Ur.”

Ichiya seemed to have calmed down by then, glancing towards them as he began taking the lead towards the forest. “Hibiki will keep us linked together, and guide us towards our destination. With his Archive Magic, he has already stored the location of Nirvana and can directly keep us updated with a map of where to go.”

It sounded interesting, at least, Natsu thought so. He watched as golden light seemed to appear at Hibiki’s hands, almost like a keyboard in thin air. Buttons were pressed at a rapid rate, as a monitor seemed to form before the man’s face. In an instant, Natsu felt as if someone had connected him to that system of magic. A map seemed to be visible to his mind’s eye, making his real eyes grow wide in surprise. “Hey, I know where we have to go.” he stated, as if it wasn’t obvious.

The others gave him odd looks, but he was too busy marveling over the way this magic seemed to upload information to his mind at an instant. Could it find Igneel too? Maybe he could ask Hibiki about his father later on, he decided. After all, it would be more likely than one of these strange townsfolk knowing where to find the dragon.

Ichiya began trying to tell them what to do about Oracion Seis. He was describing Nirvana, and the dangers of what the spell could do. Natsu tuned it out, though, not all that interested in the details. However, something else was slowly beginning to catch Natsu’s attention. His gaze lifted upward, smelling the air as he stared off towards Rosenwald with wide eyes. A pillar of light seemed to be shooting into the sky, mixing black and white as it spiraled out of control. Based on everything he knew, this was a bad sign, a sign that Nirvana’s seal had been broken. Without a word to the others, Natsu took off running, not caring to see if the others were following or not. He couldn’t let any dark wizard take control of a spell like that, not when it could cause so much pain for the people he cared about.


	27. Rejecting the World

The seal was proving more difficult than Zeref had anticipated. He had been working at it for hours, meditating on the forest floor directly in front of Nirvana as he sensed outwards to the intricate web of energy surrounding the ancient spell. He was correct in assuming a powerful wizard, or wizards, had sealed Nirvana away. This puzzle was proving difficult, and as such, Zeref actually found himself enjoying his attempts to break through the spell.

However, the same could not be said for his companions. While Zeref worked tirelessly at breaking the seal, Laxus and the Thunder Legion sat around with looks of boredom on their faces. Freed would occasionally attempt to offer his assistance, but training someone to break seals took time, time that Zeref did not wish to spend at the moment. Zeref was capable of breaking it alone, it simply wouldn’t be an easy task was all.

Reaching out with his own magic, Zeref attempted again to unravel another strand of the seal. This was the pattern he had fallen into over the last few hours. He would focus his senses on the seal, examining the spell for weak points and areas that needed to be manipulated to break it. Then, he would work on breaking it for as long as he could, until he no longer recognized the spell and had to focus once more on new weak points and areas that needed further attention. It was slow, but it made progress and slowly weakened the seal that was in Zeref’s way.

He had hoped to finish this sooner, but with one last outburst of magic, he finally broke through the final strand of resistance on the seal. It had taken him nearly six attempts, but this time, he finally had results. Zeref rose to his feet, watching with a dark smile as light began to spill into the air. Nirvana was unleashing a dark light, filling the sky with magic as he stood by its side. “What the hell?” Laxus demanded, jumping to his feet as well. “Damn, I didn’t think you’d actually do it. Took you long enough, I was getting bored just sitting around here doing nothing.”

“Perhaps if you studied more about magic, you could have worked to aid me instead.” Zeref mused, shaking his head. Something felt odd to him, but he couldn’t quite place what it was. His thoughts were somewhat foggy, jumbled in some way. Maybe he had simply used too much magic, and he was sinking into a bit of an exhausted state. Still, he had more work to do. He was so close, so close to finding his death. He had to reach that point soon, before he forgot the value of life and turned against the world.

Those thoughts vanished again, flowing as if down a river in his mind. He couldn’t seem to grasp on to anything solid, at least not at first. He heard footsteps around him, making him lift his gaze to see another approaching group. Six wizards, all of them smirking at him as they came closer. One seemed to be sleeping, sitting on some rug near the others. Another was dressed in a feathery dress, smiling proudly with a hand on her hip. By her side was a man with dark purple hair, and a large snake wrapped around his shoulders. Next to the sleeping man was a wizard dressed in a black racing suit, tightly fit with sunglasses covering his face. A rather large man stood behind them all, with orange hair and a black suit. By his side was a man holding a strange staff, with black lines lining his face.

Shaking his head, Zeref tried to focus. He had to be capable of battling them, and to do that, he had to clear his mind. Maybe one of them was capable of doing this to him, but he wasn’t quite certain of that fact. “My my, what do we have here? Are these lowlifes really thinking they can take Nirvana away from us?” the white haired girl asked, smiling at them.

That made Zeref pause for a moment. He had broken the seal on Nirvana, and he still needed it. What did he need it for though? He pressed a hand to his hair, trying to fight against the haze within his mind. “I heard that. This idiot thinks he’s keeping Nirvana all to himself. Don’t worry, we’ll stop him and take what’s rightfully ours.” This was said by the man with the snake around his shoulders, looking like he was preparing to attack.

Laxus and his companions were moving to stand by Zeref, looking confident as they approached. “Oi, you guys are pissing me off. Our Master found this place, and we’re going to keep it. I don’t care who you are, we’ll take you out if you even think about coming a step closer.” he insisted.

The large man in the back with orange hair smiled brightly at them all. “Well, I say none of you can have it!” he declared, pointing a hand into the air. “I’ve only just realized now, how cruel I’ve been to the world. How could I abandon my poor brother, all for filthy money?”

Even the Oracion Seis paused at his words, glancing towards him with a frown. “Hoteye, are you succumbing to Nirvana’s influence?” Their leader, the main with tanned skin and dark lines, turned towards Hoteye.

The mentioned wizard smiled brightly, but Zeref felt mild alarm at his words. Nirvana transformed light into darkness, and this man seemed to think it could act on its own. Turning towards the dark light shooting into the sky, Zeref felt dread sink into his stomach. The magic surrounding Nirvana was not that of a sealing spell just broken, but something far more powerful and unique. His own muddled thoughts and actions, it was likely due to the influence of this spell. 

Hoteye smiled brightly and walked to stand between both groups of wizards. “Perhaps it has simply shown me the light! I’ve always felt conflicted about my horrid addiction to money, and now, this has let me shed that greed and turn towards a more benevolent path. Unfortunately, that means I cannot allow dark wizards like all of you to claim this spell!”

“No…how does it…how does it work? Nirvana must be controlled…or perhaps it isn’t…” Zeref struggled to think of a way to stop it, before he lost all rational thought. New ideas were coming to mind, memories of the deaths he had seen throughout his life. This world killed everyone he loved, that much was true. His family had been killed by dragons, then he tried to bring them back. Afterwords, he had watched his parents die once more, and abandoned his baby brother. Every friend he ever had perished by his own hands, their lives forcibly taken from them. The thought left a dark anger rooted within him, but Zeref did try to fight against it.

One member of Oracion Seis stepped forward, frowning slightly. “What the hell? These thoughts…are you succumbing to Nirvana as well? Who would’ve thought? The person breaking the seal was already on the precipice between light and dark! Ha, this’ll make taking it from you all the easier, if you become weak and foolish like Hoteye over here.” Cobra’s dark laughter filled he air, along with Angel’s as she realized the same thing.

Thinking about his own mindset, Zeref saw the flaw all too well. Wanting death, to escape his own dark desires and curse, had pushed him to the brink of darkness. His thoughts had already been quite dark when coming to this place, and breaking the seal allowed Nirvana to finish that transformation. Grabbing his hair tightly, Zeref closed his eyes and grimaced slightly. “Run…all of you, get away…” he pleaded, though this time, it was not his curse making him wish for them to flee.

“Master, don’t tell me your magic is acting up now. Of all the times to lose control, honestly, you’re making us do all of the hard work here.” Evergreen complained, shaking her head as she took a few steps back.

Bickslow joined her, grinning towards her as he shook his head as well. “I know. Honestly, I thought the Master had a better plan in mind, but it looks like we’re in charge of dealing with this group here.” he insisted.

“Laxus can handle them, we simply must have faith in our friend.” Freed insisted, watching Zeref closely.

In an instant, Zeref’s mind became clear. He didn’t quite know what triggered it, but his thoughts normalized and he began to be capable of thinking once more. Opening his eyes, he turned to stare at the Oracion Seis once more. Angel took a step back, looking surprised by the sight before her. Zeref’s former black eyes were now pure red, glowing in the darkness of the forest around them. 

As he stared at these wizards, his new path became clear. He had been weak before, just as Cobra had stated. Zeref had not been willing to go to the extreme lengths necessary to find peace. This world rejected him, and if it wanted him to be a villain, then he would be the most powerful villain of all. Destroying the world was his specialty, and it was about time people learned to understand the pain he went through for so long. He would make the world see what it felt like, to have everyone around you die and to be incapable of being near a single living being. He would start with these wizards right here, who seemed foolish enough to try and take what was his.

The blond haired wizard with sunglasses seemed to be grinning widely at Zeref. “You know, I seem to recall you asking us to run for a bit. Let me just show you how fast I am, so you can see just how hopeless your chances really are!” he declared, seeming to vanish from sight. Zeref scowled in irritation as Laxus and the Thunder Legion seemed to be blown back by an unseen force. 

Shaking his head, Zeref narrowed his eyes and raised an arm. It had been a while since he had the mindset that allowed him to control his magic entirely, and at the moment, he relished the power within his body. Energy surged forward, the landscape around them changing entirely. Everything froze in place, the colors turning into dark grays as Zeref walked around towards Racer. The man had altered his perceptions, he noticed, not his actual speed. Zeref was always keen on when anyone was altering his mindset, and right now, he disliked having anyone toy with his thoughts.

Glancing towards Racer’s guild, he decided that perhaps a demonstration was the right move. Just as the dark wizard had attempted to do before, Zeref would show these wizards that he was not to be trifled with. Allowing everyone around him to move except Racer, Zeref stood before them in frozen time. Not even a breeze seemed to move in the air, though trees remained frozen as their branches swung in various directions. Leaves that had begun to fall were trapped half-way to the ground, and the light pouring outwards from Nirvana seemed to have halted its progress.

“What is going on here? Master, what kind of magic is this?” Evergreen demanded, now able to speak.

Not even glancing towards her, Zeref smiled darkly at the Oracion Seis. “Time manipulation. It is simply one of my many talents, though it is quite difficult to use. In fact, I haven’t been capable of using it for nearly two centuries, due to complications from my normal magic.” he explained. 

“Time manipulation? I see, so you truly do have some power within you, despite your age.” Brain stepped forward, smiling towards him. “Still, you were foolish to allow us to move. Did you think we could not stop you, even in this place where time does not exist?”

Titling his head slightly, Zeref raised his hand towards Racer, the wizard standing by his side. “I control this area entirely. I choose who moves, and who remains frozen, as well as the objects that get to move.” Zeref turned his head to face the wizard that had attacked him just a moment ago. “Attack me if you wish, your magic will not reach me, nor will your magic be capable of injuring me. My main purpose for allowing you to see at the moment was to show you just how far beneath my level you truly are.”

In response to his words, Brain held his staff out before him with a glare. “Below you? You are nothing but a lowly maggot in my eyes. I shall show you true power. Dark Capriccio!” A beam of green light shot out from the skull’s mouth on his staff, spiraling towards Zeref for a single moment. Then, it joined the landscape in a frozen state, stopped quite a ways away from Zeref as the black wizard smiled.

“A decent attempt, I will grant you that much.” Zeref commented. “Still, it is foolish to underestimate the wizards you fight against. Tell me, do you even know who I am? What of my magic? Do you know what I can do?”

No one replied, but Cobra’s face went pale as Zeref began thinking about just what he was going to do to them. “No…how can we…it’s impossible, that means that you’re…”

Chuckling, Zeref nodded in response. “Such an odd power, ‘hearing’ my thoughts. Nonetheless, I assure you, I am exactly the name you heard just now. Tell me, Cobra, do you truly think any of you can defeat me, now that you know what you are up against?”

The poison wizard grimaced, glancing at his companions while clenching his hands into fists. “Ha, like I’d be scared of you. You may be powerful, but we’ve got the strength of numbers on our side. I can hear your every move, even if you can kill in an instant, all I have to do is dodge your attacks.”

Raising an eyebrow, Zeref turned towards Racer and created a small orb of black magic in his hand. He sent it flying towards the wizard, and Ankhseram’s death magic took effect. The wizard fell over, finally freed from Zeref’s time manipulation but now dead from the spell he just used instead. “Tell me, could Racer dodge that attack?” he questioned, seeing Cobra’s stunned face.

After a few moments, he glared harshly at Zeref. “You bastard, he was our guild member! I don’t care how heartless you are, we’re going to destroy you.”

Brain held an arm out, shaking his head. “No, you’ve already spoken your words to this maggot. I think it is time for our companions to prove their worth. After all, I would hate to have to wake up Midnight.” His gaze turned towards the sleeping man, before focusing back on Zeref.

Angel stepped forward instead, a key in her hand. “I don’t know what you did to shake poor Cobra up so badly, but I know I’m more than enough to take you. How would you like a taste of your own medicine?” she mused, laughing lightly. “The righteousness of angels shall strike you down. Open, Gate of the Twins, Gemini!”

Behind Zeref, Laxus and his companions were glancing up towards Zeref with wide eyes. “Did he just…kill that wizard?” Freed asked, shocked.

Laxus could only nod. In front of Angel, a celestial spirit appeared. Two blue creatures, identical in almost every way seemed to float by her side. “Gemini, I want you to take his form for me. Tell me everything he knows, and then destroy him with his own power.” she ordered, pointing towards Zeref imperiously.

Raising an eyebrow, Zeref gazed at the spirits. “My strength is greater than that of the Twins, however, I shall let them take my form if they wish.” he commented, shrugging. “Under normal circumstances, they would not be able to do so, but a fact few are aware of, is that they can take the form of a wizard of greater power than themselves, so long as their target is willing to be copied. Be warned, however, that this will not end well for you.”

“Piri Piri?” Gemini’s voice sounded confused, questioning what Zeref was meaning with his words.

The celestial wizard scoffed, putting her hands on her hips. “Well, I am impressed that you know so much about spirits, but you shouldn’t be so careless. Gemini will destroy you completely, with your own magic.” she insisted.

“If Gemini does this, I am certain the Twins will be exiled from the Celestial World.” Zeref countered, glancing towards them.

Angel seemed to stutter, taking a step back. “You can’t be serious….that would only happen if Gemini killed me…” she whispered, glancing towards her spirit.

Smiling darkly, Zeref shrugged and turned towards the others. “It is your decision to make, in the end. I’ve given you my warning, and I will not take it back. Gemini values your life, so should the spirit take my power, you will perish.” His words only left the girl confused, but Gemini was moving to follow her orders. The spirit seemed confident that it could do as asked, without killing its master.

Zeref remained still as Gemini reached out to touch his shoulder, absorbing his mind and magic into the spirit’s form. In a single moment, the spirit transformed and a copy of Zeref took its place. “See? We’ve taken your form and there’s no way we would ever harm our master just because of…” Gemini trailed off, gasping and clutching his dark black hair in pain. “This pain…it hurts…what is?” The spirit broke off again, glancing up at Zeref with wide eyes. “The Curse…Curse of…no, get away from me!”

“The more you value life, the more you are forced to take it away.” Zeref stated, a bit distant as he gazed down at the collapsing figure of Gemini. “I’ve lived with this curse for centuries, and now, it is your turn to experience my suffering and pain. Kill your friends, and feel the guilt of knowing you could do nothing to stop it. Meanwhile, I shall launch my own campaign, my war against this world that will never accept me.”

“Knock it off, Master!” Laxus shouted, rushing forward and shocking the black wizard. A lightning covered fist slammed into his side, sending him flying into a nearby tree and away from Gemini. The lightning wizard quickly rushed away from Zeref’s copy, but he still continued glaring at the real Zeref. “This isn’t you, so stop being an idiot and go back to being the depressed genius we’ve always known!”

Stepping forward, Freed seemed to prepare to fight back as well. Zeref glared at them all, feeling his rage strengthen as his companions betrayed him. “You…you reject me as well? So be it, you shall perish with the rest of this world as I pave way for my new reign.” With those words, Zeref began to take a new stance, readying his death magic once more. Gemini’s death predation unleashed as Zeref did so, painting the already motionless landscape in a dark cloud of swirling death. As the magic blinded the wizards watching it from outside, Zeref could confidently say that the spirit had just killed the entire Oracion Seis in one blow. The Twins seemed to vanish from sight as they did so, leaving Zeref facing off against his own guild members. Soon, they would die as well, and Zeref would move on from this place that always rejected him and brought him nothing but pain.


	28. The World's Rejection

Zeref stood before Laxus and the Thunder Legion, with the cloud of black magic fading away from sight. With Gemini returned to the Celestial World to face judgment from the Celestial Spirit King and all of the Oracion Seis dead from the spell that had been unleashed, Zeref could finish this without interruption. These people had been his companions, the ones meant to follow his every word. 

Freed was kneeling on the ground in front of his companions, quickly writing with a light pen to try and protect them. Zeref could act quicker, however. Even if he was delayed somehow, breaking through one of Freed’s spells would be child’s play. He knew the man’s magic inside and out, and he was one of the few people within the guild that could rewrite the rules created by the wizard that followed Laxus’ every word.

Slowly, Zeref raised his hands into the air, drawing his palms together in a strange hand symbol before him. For powerful death magic, he needed to channel it through his hands and direct the course of the spell with the shape created by his fingers. This energy could get wild and untamed if not used properly, but Zeref had learned many years ago how to master the art of killing others. 

The green haired wizard stood once more, gazing calmly towards Zeref. “You will not win here, Master. We will return you to your former self, that is our promise to you.” he vowed, his hands held tightly to his sides.

Evergreen began to remove her glasses in return, smiling as Zeref turned his focus towards Laxus instead. Unlike the other members of the Thunder Legion, his eyes were safe to view. Even if Ever tried moving now to get his attention, it would be too late to save them all. Energy began coursing through his arms, consolidating in his hands as he focused on unleashing one of his most powerful spells. Just as he was about to let the magic loose, something collided with his body once more, shoving him to the ground and making him snarl in anger at the attacker.

On his back was a familiar individual, one that left Zeref staring at him with wide eyes. “Natsu?” he questioned, dazed for a moment.

The boy grinned, looking pleased to see Zeref here. “I thought I smelled you around here. What the heck are you doing with Nirvana? I mean, it doesn’t seem like something you’d be interested in.” he commented.

Glancing towards the spell, Zeref seemed to recall something from a moment ago. Nirvana unleashed some of its effects when the seal was broken. Groaning, Zeref touched his head and tried to cut off his connection to the spell. It had wrapped itself around him tightly, however, and the rage was threatening to consume him again. “No…you are like them. You came here to stop me, to destroy me and make me suffer even further. I won’t suffer any longer! If the world needs a villain, then I shall become the greatest villain ever seen.” he insisted, rising to his feet and shoving Natsu off.

His red eyes were almost mad, wide and wild as he lifted a hand towards Natsu. “Huh? What about Mavis and your curse? I mean, I thought you said you wanted to free her or something first, before you died at least.” he commented, though the dragon slayer looked a bit uncomfortable mentioning Zeref’s plans for death.

“Mavis…” he whispered, as if that was the only thing he had caught. Memories of her smile filled his mind, the way she had been so bright and always hopeful for the future. Touching his head, Zeref stumbled back slightly, closing his eyes. “Yes…I remember…I want to protect Mavis…to follow the path she laid down before me…”

“Who the hell is this idiot?” Laxus demanded from behind him, but Zeref was ignoring him. He had to stay focused, if he wanted to keep his mind from wandering. He was still on the edge, and Nirvana’s influence was still being pushed upon him.

Looking up, Zeref’s eyes opened once more. They had returned to their black color, but he knew it would only be temporary if he did not hurry. He was unsteady on his feet, but Zeref attempted to take a few steps away from Nirvana, towards freedom. Breaking the seal on Nirvana combined with the magic he had been building to attack his own guild members left him exhausted and drained. He stumbled slightly, nearly tripping over the uneven surface of the ground. Natsu caught him, grinning as he wrapped Zeref’s arm over his shoulders. “Please…get me away from here…” he begged.

“Sure thing, that light is kind of creeping me out. By the way, what the heck happened to it anyway? It seems kind of…frozen.” he commented.

Blinking, Zeref realized the other source of his exhaustion. He had not released his time altering spell, and it was quickly draining even more of his energy than before. Quickly, he restored the flow of time to normal, but by the time he finished, he was sagging against Natsu heavily, his feet dragging on the ground. When Natsu realized this, Zeref found himself on the boy’s back, almost being piggybacked as Natsu took off running.

Closing his eyes, Zeref felt warmth from being here. The dragon slayer’s skin was hot, and for the first time in a long time, he actually felt comfortable being close to another person. Was Natsu actually his brother? Zeref pondered that question again, still deciding against it based on the knowledge he had. A baby would perish in the wilderness when abandoned. His brother had died long ago, but maybe for a moment, he could imagine that his brother still lived somewhere in this world. It would be nice, knowing he was not entirely alone in the world.

He heard footsteps behind them, indicating that Laxus, Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen were following. He didn’t turn to look at them, but Laxus still tried to speak with Natsu as they fled Rosenwald. “I asked before, and I’ll ask again. Who the hell are you, and what do you think you’re doing with our Master?” the blond demanded, glaring at Natsu.

The fire dragon slayer seemed to shift his weight slightly, nudging Zeref as he turend his head. “I’m Natsu, and I’m his friend. You may be a member of Fairy Tail, but I’m not going to just stand around and let Zeref turn into someone he’s not because of a stupid spell.” He sounded confident in his ability to do so, making Zeref wonder just how much Natsu knew about Nirvana. Wasn’t he supposed to be working with the Rune Knights? Were they here as well? Zeref didn’t know for certain, but he was too tired to truly be concerned about the answer.

“Oh yeah? And what power do you have to stop him?” Laxus demanded, smirking slightly. “Let’s face it, you’re just another weakling trying to use our Master’s magic for your own gain. All of you wizards are the same, and I’m sick and tired of facing you down.”

Zeref could feel as well as hear the rumble of Natsu’s low growl in response. “What did you say?” he demanded harshly, his pace slowing. Luckily, they had put some distance between themselves and Nirvana, but Zeref could still sense it influence in the air.

“Natsu, ignore him.” Zeref whispered slightly. “We…Nirvana is still too close…” he added, grimacing slightly.

The dragon slayer nodded, returning to rushing away. “Right, we’ll deal with him later. Hey, Zeref, do you mind if I pick a fight with one of your guild members? I don’t really like him all that much.” Natsu’s absurd question made Zeref smile slightly, shaking his head as he sighed. His thoughts were clearer now, and he was beginning to see just how dangerous this had become.

Nirvana was not an option anymore, Zeref noted. On top of that, Natsu had reminded him of an important fact he had forgotten long ago. He had promised to save Mavis, and that it would happen before he found his own peace through death. Even if his own death would free her, it would not fulfill the promise he made to her when she fell victim to his own magic. With Natsu here, he finally saw how much of a mistake he nearly made. Perhaps Laxus and Freed had been on to something before, suggesting that Nirvana could save Mavis, but Zeref could not get close enough to the spell safely to alter it in any form.

Instead, he needed another plan. Healing magic would work, but at this point, it was a Lost Magic. No one knew how to work healing spells, and it was rare to find a book that even described how healing used to work with magic. At this point, if Zeref wished to do so, he would have to start from scratch and recreate the entire branch of magic. Likely, it would bear some similarities to what he had done to bring the dead back to life, but there had to be something else that made it less like fighting back against fate. 

Maybe when he returned, Zeref would think more about it. He didn’t have the energy to truly theorize about magic at the moment. Still, it was a better path than Nirvana, a device that could start and end wars with just the slightest push. “Aha! I knew I’d be able to find you, if I followed this bright parfum!” a voice shouted before him, making Zeref glance up from Natsu’s shoulder. 

“Yes, it appears as if you were correct. That light in the distance is Nirvana’s seal breaking. It is dangerous to be too close to it at the moment, but we have no choice if we wish to stop the Oración Seis.” Lyon commented from his side. Natsu seemed to have released Zeref, and the black wizard fell to the ground in a slump. The dragon slayer seemed to be focused on the people in front of him, and was standing between Zeref and them.

Shaking his head, Zeref smiled slightly and let out a light chuckle. “Natsu, there is no need for this. You’ve done enough already. As I told you before…being friends with me never ends well.” he mused quietly. “As for the Oración Seis, they are all dead at the moment. Nirvana is safe from them for the time being. I would help reinstate the seal around it…however, it appears as if its effects were greater than I had anticipated.”

Zeref touched his forehead lightly, grimacing at the memory. He knew that darkness lived within him, but it did not make it any more pleasant to experience that anger. “Effects?” Hibiki questioned, his eyes wide. “Are you saying that Nirvana flipped your alliance already?”

Nodding, Zeref glanced away. “That is how the Oración Seis all ended up dead.” he replied, closing his eyes for a moment. “I did not realize that being on the edge…on the balance between light and dark, would result in such an effect from being near Nirvana. Perhaps I should have done more research before leaving, but in the end, things seem to have been nullified.”

“How strange. From what you said before, Nirvana’s spell isn’t supposed to be so easy to unravel. To do so, it would take bringing your mind back to the precipice between light and dark, along with making you aware of the influence of Nirvana at the same time.” Jura commented. “Even aware of the influence, it takes a powerful resistance to magic for it to completely be overthrown. Just how did you accomplish such a task?”

“Oh, I was the one who talked some sense into him.” Natsu commented, glancing over at him. “He’s an old friend of mine, I ran into him a while ago. Didn’t really take much to remind him of what was wrong.”

Smiling, Zeref shook his head at them. “Let’s just say my mindset is always on the border between light and dark, regardless of my true intentions. My magic…in a way, it forces me to remain as such. It is quite easy to push me in one direction in another, though I often struggle to remain within the light as much as possible. As far as a resistance to magic goes…I don’t think there is another wizard alive that could rival my defense against magical attacks.”

“That’s odd.” Eve commented, glancing towards Hibiki. “Have you ever heard of a magic that does such a thing?”

Hibiki shook his head, studying Zeref closely. “No. Not even my Archive Magic has heard of such a thing, and it can easily access information from anywhere in the world.” he noted, stepping closer. 

Natsu moved again, stepping between Hibiki and Zeref with a glare. “Hey, leave him alone. I told ya, he’s my friend. He’s fine now, so just back off.” he insisted.

“Yes, well he also destroyed one of the most powerful dark guilds in existence, or at least, he claims to have done so.” Lyon stated in argument, narrowing his gaze at Zeref. “If it is true, he proves to be more intriguing and more threatening than anything we may have faced in there. Likely, the Council will want to know about him and his power.”

The orange haired wizard glared at Natsu as the boy attempted to defend his friend. “Lyon is correct. Stand down, and let my men deal with this unknown threat.” Ichiya insisted.

“For one of the Council’s lackeys, I thought you would understand this better than anyone else. Whatever they saw in you, clearly they were mistaken.” Lyon added, when Natsu still didn’t move.

Glaring back at them, Natsu’s hands slowly began to light up with flames. “You aren’t giving him to the Council, I’m not going to let that happen.” he growled, but Zeref grabbed Natsu’s arm and shook his head. The boy’s fire magic licked at his wrists, creating small burns that healed as quickly as they were made.

“Enough. Stand down, Natsu. This is my problem to deal with. In every battle, there is only so much you can do to help.” Zeref stated quietly, glancing towards the wizards as he rose to his feet. Moving away from Natsu, Zeref’s black eyes scanned over the wizards before him. Thus far, there were only two that had yet to speak, a dark haired boy that seemed to work together with the other two men in suits, and a girl that couldn’t have been older than a child. “Everywhere I go, I am always hunted and wanted in some form. That is why my mind is so close to the darkness, because I cannot stop this world from rejecting me.”

The sorrow in his chest returned, making him close his eyes as tears began to fall down his cheeks. Zeref hated this unavoidable fate, having to always run and hide from the world. His magic left him with few other choices, though, and he always suffered as a result. Just once, he wished he could have the normal friendship Natsu attempted to offer, but it was not meant to be. 

“The world rejects you?” Jura questioned, frowning at the black wizard. “I’m sorry, but that simply doesn’t make any sense. How can the entire planet possibly reject a single man?”

Pain throbbed in Zeref’s head, making him grip his hair tightly and grimace. This couldn’t have come at a worse time, but he had no way of stopping it as the death predation built within him. “Please…get away…I can’t…” he whispered, hunching over slightly. Hearing those words, Natsu’s eyes widened and he began to back away. 

“Run! Get out of here, it isn’t safe to be near him right now.” Natsu shouted, rushing towards the other guild wizards. This time, they were startled into motion as the dragon slayer used his flames to scare them off. He sent fire burning the grass before them, forcing them away from Zeref. The Thunder Legion had already taken off when the threat began, recognizing the signs of Zeref’s uncontrollable curse.

Since it was Natsu’s magic forcing the other wizards to flee, the dragon slayer wasn’t able to run away in time. Zeref stared at him with wide eyes, stumbling back as he tried to scream at the boy to get away. “Natsu!” He couldn’t lose another friend, not when he was so close to finally accepting that Natsu was not going away anytime soon.

However, his magic thought otherwise. Black wisps began to burst outwards from him, exploding and create a smoke-like dome around Zeref’s body. Anything living that was touched by the cloud withered away and died, while Zeref cried within the cloud. The edge of it just barely caught Natsu’s form, dragging the dragon slayer along for the ride with the darkness around him. 

No one could see the wizard within when watching beyond the outburst of magic. Most were just too stunned to speak, unsure of what kind of magic that had been. However, inside, Zeref was sitting on the ground, sobbing into his legs. Even as the magic died away, he did not move to flee or escape their wrath. All he could think about were the countless faces of innocents who had lost their lives to his own despicable magic.


	29. The Sky Dragon Slayer

Wizards stared in stunned silence at the mage who sat in the center of a sea of death. Zeref couldn’t stop thinking about the past, however. Mavis, dead from a single kiss. His parents, dead just after he found a way to give them life once more. His instructors, dead after warning him countless times to leave this magic alone. His peers, dead because he wasn’t smart enough to isolate himself after killing everyone else. Zeref’s entire life was nothing but tragedy, and now, he had one more name to add to that list. Natsu, dead because he had been trying to save others from Zeref’s curse.

His shoulders shook, while Zeref avoided looking at a single person around him. Maybe one of the Fairy Tail wizards would want to help, but he had chosen the wrong companions if he was seeking comfort. “What was that?” he heard one of the wizards ask. From the sounds of the voice, it was Lyon, talking in a stunned voice.

Jura was the one who replied. “Death magic. I am not familiar with it…though, it seems as if this wizard is capable of using a powerful form of it.” he warned, his voice grave.

“Men! We must defeat this threat immediately, before he goes after us, next!” Ichiya insisted. The three other members of Blue Pegasus were by his side in an instant, all preparing to attack.

It was the child that stopped them, however. “Wait!” Wendy shouted, kneeling down in front of Natsu. His form had collapsed on the ground. The girl’s shout made Zeref glance upward slightly, wondering what he had done to convince yet another person to save him. He didn’t want to be saved anymore, not if this was the result. “I think…Natsu is still alive.” she declared.

A slight gasp escaped Zeref, his eyes darting to the pink haired wizard on the ground. “It…it can’t be…” he whispered, but he felt a small amount of hope within him. Zeref didn’t dare get any closer to check and be certain, but if Natsu was alive, then maybe this hadn’t been as tragic as he thought it would be.

Wendy pressed a hand to the boy’s chest, leaning down to listen closely. “He’s breathing! Maybe…I think I might be able to fix him…” she whispered, placing her hands on his body. Then the girl paused before actually using any magic, staring at the scarf around Natsu’s neck. “Wait a second…was this black before? I could have sworn it was white…”

“It was.” Zeref breathed, staring at the object with wide eyes. A scarf had absorbed his magic, something he had never imagined occurring in his entire life. The material of it had to be enchanted. Sensing outward, he was shocked to see that it was not the case. The only magic around the scarf was his own, so the only option was that the material itself was designed to absorb magic. What could absorb so much magical energy, though? “Natsu’s alive…I am so relieved…”

A small smile formed on his tear streaked face. The young girl blinked, surprised to see him acting this way, but she still smiled after a few moments. “You didn’t want to hurt him, did you?” she questioned. “I’m not that good with my magic either…I feel like everyone is always getting hurt trying to protect me sometimes.”

“I…you said you could help him before.” Zeref commented quietly, glancing towards the girl. “While I may not be close enough to truly examine anything, it appears as if the scarf absorbed the spell for him.”

Wendy nodded, pulling the fabric off of Natsu and letting it rest in her lap. “This is a dark energy…I guess it would have to be, considering what it did to the rest of the plants around you.” She looked somewhat sad at the sight, but Zeref had long since grown used to dead plants surrounding him. The living plants were more rare and held his attention longer. “If he keeps this on for long, I think it will interfere with his ability to heal and recover energy. Maybe…I wonder if I could remove the taint from it…”

Her musings were cut off as she closed her eyes, focusing on the scarf. Zeref didn’t quite know what the girl was trying to do, but his eyes widened when he saw light glowing faintly around her hands. The scarf slowly began to revert back to its white color, patterned in a unique way that suddenly made Zeref realize what it was made of. “Dragon scales…” he whispered. He never imagined that a dragon would willingly surrender such things, but this time, it had saved Natsu’s life.

When Wendy finished her spell, she swayed slightly and nearly collapsed on the ground. “Wendy!” shouted a small white cat, rushing to her side. “You know what happens when you use too much of your magic. Honestly, you would be lost without me.”

This was even more shocking than he thought it would be. Her magic was healing magic, an art he thought was lost. No, now that he thought about what he sensed before, it wasn’t quite right. “The sky dragon slayer.” he stated softly, this time making the girl’s brown eyes blink open.

“Huh? How—how did you recognize my magic?” she questioned, glancing around. “I mean, I thought it was rare. Dragon slayers aren’t common…” she muttered, glancing towards Natsu.

Jura stood in front of her, trying to block her view of Zeref at that point. “Enough of this. Wendy, you may have powerful magic, but this is a wizard none of us can trust. Just look at what he did to our ally! He will destroy us all, if given the chance.” he insisted.

Lyon moved to stand by Jura’s side, prepared to attack if necessary. “He’s right. Death magic is unforgivable. Why anyone would master it is a mystery to me, but we’ll figure that out after you’ve been stopped.”

Continuing to stare at the dragon slayers, hidden behind the two wizards, Zeref ignored their threats. This was the first person he had ever met that showed any signs of being capable of nullifying his magic. “She…she can heal it…” he whispered, still stunned. “I had known that she would be capable of healing…but healing the taint of this? Perhaps…she may be the key…Mavis…I think I’ve found our answer.”

No one understood his ramblings, but the sky dragon slayer was looking annoyed with her protectors. “Hey, leave him alone!” she shouted, smacking against Jura’s legs with little affect. “He didn’t mean to hurt anyone, I know it. You all heard what he said. His magic forces him to stay on the balance between light and dark…because it forces him to kill. It’s okay, you know. As long as you’re trying to stop it, that’s what matters.”

Her kind words made Zeref turn away, unsure of what to do in response. “It cannot be stopped, not in the way you are thinking. If I gain control over this magic…it means I no longer care if I kill or not. Without control, however, I still bear the guilt of destroying the world around me.” He had not spoken about his curse so much in a long time. Now, it felt like he was sharing details about it with everyone he met. Surely, one person would actually recognize it soon, but for now, his identity appeared to be safe. Maybe history had forgotten the origins of his original magic. It would not surprise him, since he was remembered as the villain who created demons to destroy the world.

“That’s horrible!” she shouted from behind Jura. The other wizards were looking conflicted themselves, unsure of what to make of Zeref’s comment. Wendy placed Natsu’s scarf back down on the boy’s chest, rising to her feet and moving to stand next to her companions. “Isn’t there anything that can be done to stop it?”

Staring at her, Zeref knew that his curse itself would not be ended. “No, however, I am beginning to see something that may be able to help…” he mused quietly. “All of you, I understand that you do not trust me. It is quite common for everyone I meet to hate and fear me, and I do not blame you. Still, I would appreciate the chance to speak with you. I am in need of this dragon slayer’s aid, and it is imperative that I have the opportunity to explain this task to her in person.”

Sharing a look, the gathered wizards slowly sunk to the ground, sitting in a line a distance away from Zeref. No one dared to get close to the circle of death surrounding Zeref. Even Laxus and his team stayed back, eyeing their master carefully. “Hey, what’s this about? I don’t get what you think a little pipsqueak like her can do for you.” Laxus demanded.

Ignoring him, Zeref turned towards the others. “To ease some of your suspicions, I will tell you the name of the magic you have witnessed just now. The one among you who uses Archive Magic will then be able to inform you of what it means.” he began, glancing around them. “What you have just witnessed is known as Ankhseram’s Curse, something I have grown used to living with. My name…well, that is a different matter entirely. For now, you may call me August, though I will let you know that it is not truly my name.”

“August?” Evergreen asked behind him, scoffing. “Who the hell thought of such a stupid name?”

Unwilling to admit that Zeref had named a child August after her comment, he simply remained silent. The day he met August, he had seen something in the boy’s eyes that reminded him of Mavis. He had taken the child in as a result, and raised him to be a part of his army. Within the Alvarez Empire, August thrived, though he was a bit of an oddity in terms of personality. 

Hibiki had pulled something up using his magic, and was staring at Zeref with narrowed eyes. “He isn’t lying. There is a curse, an ancient curse that has long been forgotten about, that forces a wizard to release an uncontrollable amount of death magic. I can’t believe we’ve never heard of this before…it sounds like it would be huge in the magical world, with how threatening it is to anyone around the cursed wizard.”

Glancing away, Zeref focused on the sky instead. “It isn’t common, so it does not surprise me that society does not recognize the name.” he commented. “However, my issue lies in saving someone I once knew, a woman who is dead, yet alive at the same time.”

“This is ridiculous. Everyone knows that magic cannot bring back the dead.” Jura insisted.

Ichiya nodded in agreement, with his men following his examples. Even Wendy looked hesitant, fiddling with her hands as she glanced towards her lap. “He’s right. Even my power…I can’t do something like that.” she admitted.

“No, that is not what I’m asking for.” Zeref stated. “I am quite aware of the results of so much as attempting to resurrect anyone. No one should have to suffer through that pain, and I would not ask you to do that for me. As I stated before, this individual is still alive, in some form, but incapable of truly living. You,” Zeref pointed to the man with archive magic, still unaware of his name. “Tell them what else comes along with the curse.”

Hibiki hesitated, glancing at the screen with doubt in his eyes. “I don’t really know about this…but it says that the curse grants immortality as well.” he stated quietly.

Nodding, Zeref stared at his own lap. “I was not the only one with this curse. Since I valued her life, my curse attempted to steal it away. At the same time, her own curse reacted and attempted to keep her alive. As a result, she is neither dead nor alive, but trapped in a state in between both. This is what I wished to have Wendy aid me with. I believe that with her power, she can remove the taint of my magic from her body, just as she did with Natsu’s scarf. Then, Mavis would live again.”

“Wait, you think this little kid can free Mavis?” Laxus demanded, glaring over at him. “You’re insane. What the hell made you think to do this? I thought you were trying to off yourself. Did we finally get you to change your mind?”

Narrowing his eyes, Zeref eyed Laxus carefully. “Not quite, and I suggest keeping your input to a minimum, Laxus. There are some things that they do not need to know.” he added darkly.

At this point, Natsu sat up, rubbing his head and grumbling for a moment as he glanced around. “Wh—what happened? I thought we were all running from…” he trailed off, glancing towards Zeref.

“You were. It appears you have more to thank Igneel for than I thought.” he commented, glancing towards his scarf. “This other dragon slayer removed the magic for you, however, the scales within that scarf absorbed my magic before it could cause you any harm.”

Natsu touched the scarf, wrapping it back around his neck after he studied it closely. “Huh. I didn’t realize it could do that. So, what’s with the group meeting?”

“Oh, August was just asking me to help save a friend of his.” Wendy commented, staring at Zeref with thoughtful eyes. “And after hearing about all of this…I think I should. I’m not usually helpful to others, and I can’t really fight. I don’t even know if I can do this…but if I can heal your friend, I want to at least try and give her a chance.” She smiled towards him, holding Charle tightly in her arms. “My name is Wendy, by the way. It is nice to meet you.”

Giving her a small smile, Zeref nodded. He had at least convinced her to help, and that was all he truly needed. “Save your friend….oh, you mean Mavis? Wait, did I really miss that much? I can’t believe he told you guys about her, I had to bug him about it to get him to explain anything about the girl.” Natsu rubbed the back of his head after his comment, glancing towards Zeref. “Still, it’s good to see that he’s finally letting others in. Didn’t I tell you things are better this way?”

“My only use for Wendy is as a tool to free Mavis, you are simply seeing more to this than there actually is.” Zeref countered, watching the dragon slayer scowl and cross his arms over his chest.

Surprisingly, Natsu did not need much more prompting to defend the young girl. “Hey, don’t you talk about Wendy like that! She’s not a tool, like I said before, the people you work with should be your friends, just like me.” he insisted.

“Is this even relevant to the matter at hand?” Lyon questioned, interrupting before Zeref could reply. “It is like I am working with children. As I see things, there is no reason to report this man to the Council. They are likely already aware of the issues caused by this curse, and are keeping things quiet to avoid panic within the public.”

Turning away, Zeref did not respond. He knew the truth, but this time, it was best to leave them to speculate their own theories. When even the Council forgot about the curse he bore, Zeref knew it was hopeless to search for a cure. “Indeed! It would be a shame to have to transform this lovely parfum of budding friendship, into one of bitter sorrow. I say, let him be free, men!” Ichiya declared, his nostrils flaring again as he sniffed the air.

“Actually, I highly doubt he views us as friends, sir.” Hibiki commented, glancing towards the black wizard. “If he saw us in that way, I am certain we would find ourselves caught up in more magic like the spell we witnessed before. That is how the curse works, after all.”

“You told them about the curse too?” Natsu demanded, before anyone else could reply. “Damn it, is there anything you didn’t tell them about?”

Pausing, Zeref pondered for a moment about the facts Natsu knew compared to those the other wizards were now aware of. “I suppose they are not aware of my true identity. Nor do they know of who my associates are, or what I had originally come to this place for.”

The dragon slayer frowned, glancing over at the others before nodding and giving Zeref a slight grin. “Alright, then I guess that just means I’ve gotta stick around a little longer and learn more. Lahar can wait, I’m getting fired up for this mission of yours. Come on, let’s go save Mavis.” With that, Natsu rose to his feet and turned to head back towards town.

Glancing towards the others, Zeref nodded towards Laxus and the Thunder Legion. “Inform the others that I am going…home for a little while. It was the only place I could think of where she would not be found.” Laxus nodded, getting up and glancing towards his friends.

“Alright, sounds like we’re done here. Oh, and August?” Laxus stated, glancing towards his guild’s master. “If you go around making plans as stupid as this one again, don’t be surprised to find me beating some sense into you. There are better ways to spend my time, and I’d rather not waste it on jobs like this.”

With that, the Thunder Legion made their exit as Zeref moved to follow Natsu. Behind him, Wendy slowly rose to her feet and rushed to catch up. “Wait, don’t forget about me!” she shouted, glancing a bit uncomfortably towards Zeref. “Where are we going, anyway?”

Turning over his shoulder, Zeref checked to make sure they had put a little bit of distance between themselves and the others. Seeing that they were all still gathered together behind him, Zeref turned back towards Wendy and Natsu. “As I stated before, we are going to one of the few places I can call my home.” Letting his gaze flicker towards Natsu, Zeref questioned if the boy would figure out just where that was.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know where that is…” Wendy whispered, politely trying to hint for more information.

Smirking, Natsu glanced over at him. “You weren’t lying to that officer in Oshibana, were you?” It only took another moment for Natsu’s smirk to vanish into a look of horror as he froze. “Wait a second…then that means…don’t tell me we’re taking a boat…”

“Unfortunately, that is the only way to travel between continents, Natsu. Wendy, I should apologize to you as well. I know transportation doesn’t typically agree with the magic in dragon slayers, but—“ The girl cut him off, smiling towards him.

“Oh no, that’s just fine!” she insisted, smiling brightly. “I’ve been on boats before, though it wasn’t ever for a long period of time. I actually find the rocking soothing, it is nice and peaceful out on the water.”

That made Zeref pause, glancing towards Wendy before he shook his head. Whatever the reason was, this girl didn’t have the standard weaknesses of a dragon slayer. “I see. Then, in that case, our destination is the Alvarez Empire. Oh, and once we arrive, I do believe it would be best to refer to me as Spriggan, rather than August. Things may get confusing there if he’s around, now that I think about it.”

“Oh, now that makes sense!” Natsu stated, grinning at Zeref who simply blinked in surprise. “Lahar seemed to recognize your fake name. Sorry, I kind of had to tell him that I ran into you…anyway, I guess he met this guy that’s actually named August, not you.”

Unsure of if it was true or not, Zeref simply moved on. Back in the town bordering Rosenwald, Zeref knew that this would be the start of a long journey. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be spending too much time helping dragon slayers overcome their motion sickness. If so, he realized that the dragon slayers wouldn’t be the only ones uncomfortable during this journey back to the empire he had created so long ago.


	30. Old Hatreds

Even with Natsu off on a mission for the Council, Lahar was making no progress in his investigation. It was almost as if Fairy Tail had vanished entirely. No one in Hargeon had seen strange wizards coming into town, and even the local train station said they saw nothing out of the ordinary. Sure, things had been hectic when Oshibana Station had shut down, but afterwords, things had been running smoothly and there was no change to how things operated in town.

Knowing that, however, did give Lahar a single clue. The chaos caused by the dark guild’s takeover of Oshibana Station had aided in Fairy Tail’s escape. They had left Magnolia on that day, when Eisenwald attacked. Lahar was certain of it, but he still didn’t understand how no one saw a single wizard. Maybe the chaos had kept everyone focused on protecting themselves, but it still got on Lahar’s nerves to see just how unobservant the public truly was when their lives were at risk.

Today, Lahar was busy visiting Oshibana for that very reason. He had learned very little about the incident that occurred here, but maybe Fairy Tail had somehow been involved in orchestrating the attack. The timing seemed too perfect for it to be otherwise. As he found himself standing before the train station, Lahar tried to sense for lingering magic energy. Unsurprisingly, whatever spells used all those days ago had faded away. While a minor trace of magic could be detected, it was impossible to determine the true purpose of the spells at this point.

Standing in front of the station was one of the local authorities. Dressed in a blue coat and pants, the man seemed to stand observant before the world. Approaching him, Lahar began to see at least a glimmer of hope for his future. “Excuse me, sir. I am Captain Lahar of the Rune Knights. I am here on an investigation, trying to learn anything that I can about the incident that resulted in the shutdown of this train station recently.”

The officer glanced at him, snorting as he shook his head. “Oh, another rune knight. Honestly, I’m sick and tired of you stuck-up knights looking down upon us ordinary officers.” he complained, shaking his head. “If you want information, find it elsewhere. I’ve got work to do, unlike some people around here who don’t even bother helping a city clearly in need of protection.”

Unsure of what to do in response, Lahar simply nodded and began to back away. “My apologies for disturbing you. Please, enjoy the rest of your day.” He at least tried to amend his folly, but the officer didn’t seem to care. Perhaps it was simply an old grudge, but then again, it wasn’t an uncommon mindset to find among law enforcement these days. The Rune Knights were the elite guard of Fiore, and some did let that pride go to their heads. Attitudes created tension between Rune Knights and other officers, resulting in a weak hatred and animosity between them.

In the streets of Oshibana, it became clear that this city actually had been suffering. Homes were run down, looking worn and aged. Shops were nearly empty, and only a few people wandered through the streets to visit them. Restaurants only seemed to serve two tables at the most right now, leaving business lacking. Lahar wondered if it was a lack of wealth that caused this, or something else entirely. Maybe this place truly did need some help.

Either way, Lahar did know the best place to hear rumors in any city. If the officers were not willing to help, he would turn towards the citizens for answers. Stepping towards the local bar, Lahar prepared himself to face drunken men and woman with a scowl. He hated alcohol and the way it made normal men seem so unintelligent and idiotic at times. People did foolish things when drunk, and it was why Lahar made it a point to avoid alcohol as much as possible.

Stepping inside, Lahar saw the first place in this town that seemed to be doing well, comparatively at least. People gathered at the counter, drinks in hand as they grinned at each other and talked. Noise filled the air, with other conversations beginning at the tables inside the bar. Moving past a few people, Lahar managed to find a seat for himself at the counter. Serving drinks was an older man, with a ragged grey beard and balding hair. His gaze turned towards Lahar, a slightly irritated look as he moved towards the new customer in the place.

“What can I get for ya today?” the man spat out, in a rough voice. He clearly didn't make any attempt to be pleasant to guests, but in a place like this, not everyone minded.

“Just water, thank you.” Lahar stated, watching the man scowl and grab a glass. “I was wondering…have you heard anything about the recent attack from Eisenwald?”

The bartender seemed to glare even more harshly than before, slamming the glass on the counter as he poured ice into it. Pulling out a pitcher, he began to pour water into the glass. “We don’t talk about them in these parts. Speaking about dark wizards only brings them into town, we say. I don’t care if you are one of them fancy rune knights, this is my bar, and what I say goes.”

Nodding, Lahar clasped his hands around the water. “I see, I meant no disrespect.” he tried, but the man only grunted and turned towards another guest.

This place was odd, Zeref had to admit. Perhaps living in the shadow of a dark guild had caused many people to be suspicious of strangers. Either that, or Eisenwald had struck so much fear into them that no one was willing to mention anything about the guild. Taking a drink, Lahar gazed around at the people in this place. He counted at least ten individuals, not counting himself and the bartender. That gave him at least a small chance of finding someone who had been here during the attack.

Turning back towards the counter, Lahar considered how to approach this. Not many people would be willing to talk, he realized. Either they disliked rune knights, or they simply did not wish to speak with strangers. “Are you still here?” the bartender questioned, while Lahar thought. “Persistent bastard, I’ll give you that much. Look, if I tell you what I know, will you get out of my bar? I thought I made it clear that you wouldn’t be getting any information from my customers here.”

“I…did you do that just to get me to leave?” Lahar questioned, watching the man simply stare in response. Maybe that was the case. Considering the looks the other guests kept sending his direction, he could only imagine how rune knights were perceived by this town. Daggers were being shot towards him from all directions, people glaring at his back and the robe that marked him as one of the Council’s officers. “Oh, now I see. Oshibana isn’t a fan of the Rune Knights, is it?”

“You can say that again. Folks around here don’t like people who claim to be here to help, but do nothing to actually fix our problems.” the bartender picked up an empty glass resting on the counter, taking it behind with a cloth and beginning to scrub it in front of Lahar. “You being in my bar brings bad business, and I want you out as soon as possible. So, do we have a deal? I talk about Eisenwald, and you leave once we’re done, alright?”

Seeing it as the best option so far, Lahar nodded and remained quiet. “Good. So, Oshibana Station, right?” Once again the captain nodded in confirmation. “Well, there’s not much to tell. Erigor, that wind mage everyone talks about, came to town with a few of his buddies. They attacked the station, and announced that it belonged to them now over the loud speaker. Damn bastards got everyone riled up and interrupted my afternoon nap. Sometimes, I wonder if they have any consideration for us when they do things like that.”

Lahar wanted to point out the flaw in his logic. The guild had taken over an entire train station; it wasn’t the man’s lack of sleep that was the largest issue with this town. “Anyway, after a while, they sealed off the station with some spell. Don’t know why, or what happened, but it kept things quiet for a bit and brought a crowd. Everyone wanted to see what had happened at the station, and others simply wanted to dodge town and find safety elsewhere. Eisenwald is known to attack often, but it is rare for them to seal off a section of town like that.”

“From there, our officials took care of things. They made some calls, and got some wizards brought in to break the spell. By the time all was said and done, Eisenwald had moved on to some other city to bother for a bit, and the wizards that freed Oshibana followed after. Haven’t heard a peep from Eisenwald since, and I’m glad.” The bartender set his clean glass down, leaning over the counter towards Lahar. “See, things have gotten peaceful around here, for the first time in ages. Whatever did that was no Rune Knight, I promise you that. These people know that too, so I suggest you look elsewhere for better info, because you aren’t going to find many people who want to talk in this place.”

Glancing away, Lahar felt his brows draw together as he frowned at the wall. “No, it was not.” he stated quietly. “I had always thought we were the hands of justice, ensuring this nation was safe. Yet, every time I come closer to capturing another criminal, tales like this reach my ear. I apologize for the trouble your city has gone through, I will not linger to bother you any further.”

The man nodded gruffly, looking pleased as he moved to refill someone’s drink. “Good. Now, get out of ‘ere, and don’t come back. I’m sick of your ugly face already.”

Rising to his feet, Lahar nodded and moved to walk out. This place was not going to be of use to him, that much had become clear. People hated Rune Knights in Oshibana. Glancing down at his robes, Lahar felt shame for the first time over having this uniform. They truly had abandoned Oshibana. Eisenwald had been a small guild, and not something important for them to investigate. As a result, they held a tight rule over this small town, and these people had suffered. The great and powerful nation he learned to revere long ago was not as great as it seemed. People still suffered here, and he could do nothing to aid that.

Lahar’s teeth clenched together as his hands balled into fists by his sides. This wouldn’t be the end of their suffering either, he realized. Eisenwald was gone, but that paved the way for new dark guilds to take over. With how rarely rune knights came to Oshibana, and the isolated area, it was perfect for them to take root and grow. As he walked out into the streets of the city, Lahar questioned just how safe this place truly was. 

Shaking his head, Lahar narrowed his eyes and stared at the ground. This shouldn’t be his problem, yet he couldn’t stop worrying over it. Fairy Tail was his focus. He had to find the guild, wherever it ended up. The takeover of Oshibana station may have been related, but there was no evidence linking Fairy Tail to Eisenwald. As unlikely as it was, the events were simply a coincidence that Fairy Tail had taken advantage of. So long as he remembered that, focus on his mission would come much easier.

Planning to return to his hotel room for the night, Lahar moved quickly through the streets. However, he did not expect to feel someone grab his arm from behind him. Already tense from the glares he had been receiving all day, Lahar whirled around and prepared to attack the mysterious person with an iron-tight grip on his bicep. Even with his sudden movement, the hand did not release. Lahar found himself face to face with a strange man, unsure of what to make of him.

The man was still likely a teenager, if he had to guess. Dark black hair fanned out behind his back, wild and untamed. He wore an amused smirk, though Lahar’s gaze was more drawn towards the metal piercings adorning most of the man’s face. “Oi, you’re the rune knight in town right?” the man questioned, eyeing Lahar carefully.

Slowly, Lahar nodded and once again tugged on his arm. This time, the other man released him and let Lahar’s arm fall back to his side. Sensing outward, it became easy to tell that this was a wizard, at least. “I am. Did you need my assistance with something? Is there an issue you have to report?” It wasn’t entirely uncommon for citizens to lodge complaints with the rune knights. While there were other, more efficient channels to use, people tended to see their uniform and assumed that word would reach the magic council in an instant after informing a rune knight of a problem.

The wizard crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back slightly and standing even taller than before. Despite the fact that this man was younger than Lahar, he stood even taller than the rune knight captain. “You could say that,” the man began, scowling slightly and glancing away. “My name is Gajeel and my guild master sent me to find one of you guys. Said to give you some important information. You better listen well, because I’m not going to repeat myself. Phantom Lord has information about Fairy Tail, and we want in on the action if you plan on moving in to crush them once and for all.”


	31. An Impossible Truth

Standing in the street of Oshibana, Lahar wondered if he could trust Gajeel or not. The man claimed to have information on Fairy Tail, the first clue he had found since the guild vanished. While he did recognize Phantom Lord’s guild name, he doubted they would have any ties to the former guild. Fairy Tail may have broken the law, but they were being quite intelligent in their evasions of the rune knights. As such, he doubted they would turn to any allies for help, regardless of if it was a former partner of theirs or not. 

The details of Fairy Tail’s relationship with Phantom Lord were not something Lahar was familiar with, either. The more he questioned the validity of the idea Gajeel proposed, the more he realized he was ignorant of. “Not here. There are others that could overhear us, and at the moment, I am not well-liked in this city.” Lahar stated, moving towards the hotel once more. Gajeel followed, scowling as he walked by Lahar’s side.

“Whatever. Just don’t waste too much of my time, old man.” Gajeel stated, sounding just as irritated as he looked.

“How did you even come across information concerning them?” Lahar questioned Gajeel as they walked. It was enough of a mystery that he didn’t want to wait until they arrived at the guild to ask about it.

The wizard snorted, shaking his head. “You’re asking the wrong guy. Like I said, my master was the one who found the info, not me. Based on what I heard, the guy actually had a run-in with Fairy Tail wizards not too long ago.” he replied.

Stunned, Lahar glanced towards Gajeel with wide eyes. “He actually encountered them in person? Why did he wait so long to inform us? We made a public announcement. All information regarding Fairy Tail was to be reported to the rune knights immediately, regardless of how insignificant your information seemed.” It bothered him when people refused to cooperate with law enforcement. To Lahar, refusing to listen to a simple demand such as that meant that they were too lazy to desire to live in a safe environment away from criminals.

The other wizard scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Like our master has the time to run errands for you Council lapdogs.” he commented, shaking his head. “We’ve got better things to do than that. You should count yourself lucky that I took time out of my schedule to give you this message in the first place. After all, as the strongest guild in Fiore, we’ve got a lot of work to keep up our reputation.”

Unsure of if the wizard could back his claim or not, Lahar chose to not argue much further on the matter. “I see. Still, it is not an excuse for disobeying officials from the magic council. In the future, I expect Phantom Lord to be more timely in delivering its reports to our officers.” 

Gajeel nodded, though Lahar couldn’t quite tell if the wizard understood the warning or not. He looked just as annoyed as before, so at the very least, he hadn’t made things worse. Turning down the next street, Lahar began to focus on searching for the inn. It wasn’t that far from the tavern, actually. After walking a few blocks, turning left, then walking straight passed Oshibana Station, the hotel was found. It stood across the street from the train tracks, positioned to allow travelers to rest when they were brought into town by train. 

Opening the door, Lahar nodded to the man at the desk. The employee seemed rather uninterested, his eyes sliding shut as they walked passed. Ignoring her, Lahar moved towards the stairs and began ascending them towards his room. The lobby of this inn was rather small, but it was decent enough considering the price. While the rune knights covered the cost of his lodging, Lahar did his best to keep his expenses to a minimum. It would not be good to become a burden to the government, after all.

The upstairs was still rather small, considering the family had created this place from an old home. The building had originally been designed to house a large family, but someone had gotten the idea to expand it a bit further. The extra guest rooms ended up fitted with locks, keyed to open when approached by a specific magical signature embedded within various keys. The first floor was originally designed to be a living room, but a counter had been built along one of the walls to serve as their check-in point. While it didn’t give them much room in order to house guests, it allowed for a more at-home feeling than most inns these days.

Pulling his own key out of his pocket, Lahar held the square-shaped card up to the handle of his door. A faint glow seemed to surround both, yellow light illuminating the hall for a single moment. Then, the light flashed green as the magic within the card was accepted, allowing Lahar to turn the handle and enter his room. 

Inside, it was even smaller than his last room. A bed was tucked into the corner, with a chair seated just under a small desk. A mirror was mounted on the wall above the desk, resting against faded yellow walls. With a dark green carpet and no bathroom available within for refreshing, the room was complete. According to the front desk, guests were allowed to use the community bathroom for showering if needed, but Lahar was wary of going in there at all. Too many people had come and gone through this hotel, and it was likely not well-maintained.

Walking inside, Lahar pulled the chair free from the desk, turning it to face the bed. Then, he took a step back and sat down on the mattress, feeling himself sink into the soft surface. A spring seemed to dig into part of his leg, and he shifted slightly for more comfort. Gajeel took a seat in the chair, letting his hands rest on his knees as he kept his feet flat on the floor. “Alright, so you ready to listen now?”

Nodding, Lahar leaned back and waited patiently for this news. “So, Jose wants to let you know that he saw a few Fairy Tail wizards hanging out around Clover a few days ago. Apparently, they were tracking down Eisenwald and trying to destroy that guild.” Gajeel began, watching as Lahar blinked in surprise.

“Tracking Eisenwald?” he questioned.

Grinning, Gajeel leaned forward. “Yup, and they did more than just track them down.” There was something chilling about Gajeel’s grin, and the darkness in his eyes didn’t help. “According to our master, Fairy Tail completely destroyed the few members that were in Clover, along with the demon Eisenwald had brought to life.”

It didn’t make sense to Lahar. From what he had assumed, Eisenwald’s actions had helped cover Fairy Tail’s escape. So, what purpose did attacking them serve? It eliminated their presence in Oshibana, and if it was simply to deal with that single moment, it eliminated the demon they had found. Either way, it didn’t seem like Fairy Tail gained as a result.

Gajeel didn’t seem to notice the thoughtful look on Lahar’s face. “That’s not all, either.” This time, Gajeel had stopped grinning. The wizard actually looked wary, glancing around the room as if paranoid about some form of attack. “Look, our name stays out of this, if you actually find this guy. I won’t talk any further, not unless Phantom Lord gets a guarantee on two things.”

“What do you want?” Lahar questioned. So far, this was better than anything he had learned thus far. If the demands were somewhat reasonable, he could agree to them for the benefit this information would provide.

Gajeel sat up straighter, his arms crossed over his chest instead. “One, we want protection. If anyone from Fairy Tail comes to hunt us down for talking, you and your knights will be there to stop them from ending our guild.” It was a simple enough matter, Lahar decided. Not only that, but it was likely a risk, considering what Fairy Tail was becoming now. He nodded in agreement, waiting for the wizard to continue. “Second, we want what I asked for before. Phantom Lord has always been rivals with Fairy Tail. Our wizards will get a chance to fight those fairies when you finally find them, to show them that we are superior in every way.”

This was a bit of a more difficult matter. Likely, when found, Fairy Tail would be arrested on sight. Considering the size of the guild, and the likelihood of resistance, the Council would want as many rune knights on the scene as possible. Along with that, Lahar would need to plan out a way of trapping them, so no one could escape their punishment for their actions. Involving outside wizards in such tasks was unheard of. Arrests were not a place for personal vendettas. They were meant to be a way of enforcing justice, but Lahar realized he may not have a choice in the matter.

If he refused to agree to Gajeel’s terms, Fairy Tail would still be just as far beyond his reach as they used to be. With that in mind, Lahar frowned, but slowly began to nod. “Very well. While I cannot guarantee that every member of your guild can fight, I will allow two members of your choice to join in the battle when we move to arrest Fairy Tail’s wizards.”

The wizard grinned, looking pleased. “Gihi! Sounds like fun, I’m looking forward to the party later on.” With that, the boy grew serious once more. “Anyway, while in Clover, Jose discovered the true identity of Fairy Tail’s master. I still don’t even know if I believe what he told me, but it makes sense in a way.”

“Their master?” Lahar stated, sucking in a sharp breath. The elusive master of Fairy Tail, someone had finally found him. Now, Lahar could finally place the name of this wizard, and plan accordingly for their future battles with the guild. “Just who is it? I had thought that their master would remain hidden, rather than acting on such plans in person.”

Gajeel leaned forward, nodding in agreement. “Yeah, well, I don’t think he had much of a choice. From what I heard, if Fairy Tail’s master hadn’t been in Clover that day, Lullaby would have destroyed every single guild master in one blow. Then, there’d be nothing but chaos around while you guys attempted to enforce order in the guilds that have no idea what to do without some old geezer breathing down their necks and giving them orders.” He sounded somewhat irritated as he spoke of the guilds he clearly looked down upon. Was Phantom Lord truly so different? A guild master was meant to direct its wizards, after all, so it wasn’t entirely unusual for a guild to panic once a master had perished.

“Was this demon that powerful? I heard rumors…but I never imagined a demon from the Book of Zeref actually appearing in such a small town.” Granted, Eisenwald had brought it there, but it just seemed unusual.

“Oh yeah, though, I’m sure I could have handled it if I was there.” Gajeel’s cocky attitude reminded Lahar of Natsu for a moment. He didn’t doubt that the other dragon slayer would insist he had the ability to destroy the demon in one blow, or something of a similar nature. “Still, Fairy Tail’s master was best suited for the task. After all, he was the one who created the demon in the first place.”

Freezing, Lahar’s gaze narrowed and focused on Gajeel’s eyes. “Created the demon? You can’t be serious. All demons, regardless of their power, always have some connection to the Black Wizard Zeref. He perished nearly four hundred years ago; it is simply impossible for your statement to be true.” 

“Believe what you want, I’m just the messenger.” Gajeel shrugged, leaning back and glancing away. “Still, imagine if it is true? The Black Wizard, wandering around while we all remain ignorant of his life. It kind of bothers me, thinking about some creepy wizard like him nearby.”

It simply couldn’t be. All of the leads pointed to someone from the Alvarez Empire, not the Black Wizard himself. If Zeref really were their leader, Lahar was certain that the signs would have been shown sooner. The guild would have been far more destructive, likely being put in this situation long ago for following Zeref’s orders. Granted, they had already been quite destructive as it was, but Zeref’s magic was far worse. Lahar should have seen death in their wake, if this was true.

Thinking about it further, Lahar’s brow furrowed and he let his chin rest on his hand. Remembering what he had seen in the ruins of the guild, there had been signs of death around the building. Add in the deaths of the people at the magic shop, and it seemed as if death was following Fairy Tail at the moment. Could Spriggan, or Zeref, actually have been responsible? With the fake name, he had assumed one of the Spriggan Twelve. 

That thought made him freeze, his eyes growing wide as he hand fell down into his lap. The Spriggan Twelve…Spriggan as the leader of Fairy Tail…the Spriggan Emperor…were the last two one and the same? After the immense and mysterious black magic he felt released in Magnolia, he had been certain it was some form of lost magic. If Zeref was going by an alter ego, Spriggan, it would explain the entire event. Magic from centuries ago would likely not be popular today. 

Staring at Gajeel, Lahar slowly began to realize that this could very well be the truth. Fairy Tail had fallen into darkness long ago, when the selected their second master. Zeref was leading this guild, and who knows where it was going. “Gajeel, be careful who you speak with about this. If Fairy Tail realizes we are aware of their leader’s true identity…I have a feeling things will not end well for either of us.”

The other wizard smirked. “If they come, let them come. I’ll show those fairies not to mess with the iron dragon slayer, gihi!” He looked eager for a fight, but Lahar had seen the apprehension in his gaze before. Gajeel knew just how bad this was, if it proved to be true. Lahar desperately hoped it wasn’t so, because if it was, he had given Doranbolt a death sentence with his last objective. While he didn’t doubt the other rune knight’s abilities, he simply couldn’t believe that Zeref would be fooled so easily. Likely, Doranbolt’s true identity would be discovered and when it was, he would be killed on sight by the infamous Black Wizard who was supposed to be dead.


	32. Mest

Fairy Tail was doing quite well, all things considered. At the guild hall, people didn’t seem to have changed much. Laxus returned to the guild, while Cana began drinking excessively once more. Makarov sat with Mira, talking about something or another, and Gray seemed to have lost his clothes again. Overall, everything seemed average as Laxus took his seat within the guild.

At the moment, he was feeling a bit irritated. He couldn’t believe Zeref right now, and the way he wanted them to all sit down and have a chat with those wizards. The man had lived for centuries, yet he couldn’t seem to see how stupid that meeting was. Revealing Zeref’s greatest secret, the fact that his magic came from a curse, was not what Laxus had in mind. The guy hadn’t even told him about it, yet he seemed interested in telling complete strangers instead.

The thought made Laxus scowl, glaring at the table. All of that, and just for one tiny little girl. She likely didn’t have any more magic than Romeo, but Zeref seemed convinced that she could save the First for some reason. “Hey, Laxus. Welcome back! Did you have fun on your mission with Master?” Mira asked, coming over towards him. Makarov had moved on, and was back to sitting at the table with Cana.

“Not really. The old bastard is starting to let his age get to him, I think. The senile man just decided to go out on another job with two complete strangers.” Laxus complained. “I mean, seriously, doesn’t he understand that we’ve gotta keep a low profile now? Somehow, I doubt he’ll succeed like that.”

The bartender nodded, smiling and setting a drink down in front of Laxus. “Well, I think things will turn out just fine. When we went to Clover, we had someone come with us to stop that demon, and everything ended up okay. The wizard even claimed to be working with the rune knights, yet he still hasn’t turned us in from what I can tell.” Mira stated, giggling slightly. “I kind of wish he had stayed, actually. I can already imagine his future love life here…he would be so great for Lisanna…oh no, maybe Master…oooh, his children with Cana would look so cute, though…” Mira rambled on, while Laxus did his best to ignore her. She was always trying to play matchmaker, and sometimes, Laxus just didn’t want to hear more of the pointless ramblings of the girl.

Approaching the table, Laxus found himself frowning at two other wizards. Loke was one he recognized, with his mane of orangish hair and sunglasses that he always had on. By his side, however, was someone he had never seen before. A man with incredibly short black hair, and an x-shaped scar above his eye. He was dressed in a plain orange shirt, with darker shades striping across the surface and black pants. Frowning, Laxus tried to recall when he had last seen this person. That was when he felt like a fog was lifted in his mind. Memories flashed before his eyes in an instant, suddenly coming back in a blur. This was Mest, their guild’s other telepath, and he had been in the guild for quite some time now.

Smirking, Laxus leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. “Yo, what do you two want?” he demanded.

Smiling, Mest took a seat across from him. Loke wrapped an arm around Mira with a smile. “Nothing much, I just came over here to tell this lovely lady that she looks so beautiful today.” 

Looking mildly irritated, Mira let her eyes close and tilted her head downwards. “If you don’t move away now, Loke, you may see a very different side of me that isn’t quite as pretty.” she warned. The ring wizard pulled his hand away immediately, laughing it off and rushing to hide with the other girls in the guild. “Anyway, I’ll let you two catch up. It was nice seeing you, Laxus!” 

With that, Mira left him alone with Mest. The guy didn’t normally speak much, now that Laxus thought about the guy. He couldn’t remember many details, but he definitely didn’t remember talking with him before. “So, I heard you just came back from a job with our Master. Why was he so secretive about it in the first place?” 

The question seemed somewhat odd, but Laxus could see his reasoning. Zeref was usually mysterious, and Laxus was not the first person he normally went to with information. That honor usually went to Mira or Makarov, depending on just what the info was. “Dunno, you’d have to ask him about it. He won’t let me talk, says you weaklings wouldn’t be able to handle the truth.” With that, Laxus took a chug of his drink. Mira always made it just right for him, and it made him grin as he set the cup back down.

“Right of course.” Mest commented, frowning as he gazed at the table. “I had hoped…that I could be of use to him, somehow. I always feel like I’m doing nothing to help us move forward, and I thought that this might be my chance to change all of that.”

There was something in his gaze that made Laxus doubt his true motive. He sounded sincere, he had to admit that, but the man’s eyes didn’t have the fire of a guy wanting to rush forward and help the entire guild on a job. Even so, Laxus couldn’t think of another motive for the man, so he shrugged it off. “You aren’t alone in doing nothing for this guild, Mest. Plenty of you wizards are only dragging us down, when we could do so much more. Really, the only competent wizards here are myself, Mystogan, and Makarov. Well, I guess Erza isn’t too bad either, but you get my point. Anyone who can’t fight is just useless to us, so if you want to help, find a way to train your magic until you can beat me in a fight.”

The telepath looked somewhat frightened by his words, swallowing a lump in his throat. “Uh…right. I’ll get right on that, I guess.” Mest stated, glancing away. “Then again, my magic isn’t suited for combat, not really. I would likely have to learn to battle with my body, as my magic really only allows me to see your thoughts. Not all that helpful, huh?”

“Figure it out on your own, I’m not in the mood.” Laxus retorted, not wanting to deal with someone trying to get a magic lesson from him. This guy was annoying, he decided. Maybe Master put up with Mest’s insecurities, but Laxus didn’t have to do the same.

Looking a bit surprised, Mest’s eyes widened and leaned forward. “Wait, I’m not done!” he seemed to calm himself after a moment, shaking his head. “Sorry, what I meant to say, was that I was wondering where Master was now. Since I need to work on my magic and you’re…busy, I thought I might ask him for help.”

Considering Zeref’s mindset, Laxus doubted the black wizard wanted to help anyone at the moment with magic. “Working again, now beat it. I’ve gotta go find a job, and make good use of my time unlike some people around here.”

“Already? Does he ever stop working?” Mest questioned, looking stunned.

Shaking his head, Laxus sighed. “Still here? Damn, I was hoping you might’ve listened for once.” he complained. “Master does what he wants, it’s not up to us to stop him. I mean, he can handle himself after all of this time.” Mest seemed to frown slightly, but didn’t comment. “Last I heard, he’s heading back to Alvarez to try some new method to free Mavis again. Didn’t seem to be in a sharing mood about it, either, so I guess we’ll just have to wait and see if he succeeds or not.”

Mest’s eyes were unusually wide, which made Laxus frown. Just how isolated was this guy within the guild? “Free Mavis? I…of course, that makes complete sense.” He seemed to be trying to cover the fact that he didn’t know of their biggest goal within the guild. This time, Laxus’ suspicions didn’t vanish in an instant. He leaned forward, with his eyes narrowed towards Mest.

“Oi, why do you look like you didn’t expect that? I want you to prove it to me. Prove that you’re a real member of Fairy Tail, before I kick you out for being a spy.” he demanded. While Laxus wasn’t completely sure of his suspicions, he wasn’t about to take this kind of a risk just as they were starting off their journey into being a dark guild.

The telepath seemed worried, biting his lip for a moment. “I, uh…well, Mavis is our first master. She founded the guild, and her grave is on Tenrou Island.” Still glaring at him, Laxus waited for something more Any stranger on the street could find that info, it didn’t mean anything to him. The man seemed to pause for a moment, thinking before he sighed and closed his eyes. “Also, our Master possesses powerful black magic that can kill in an instant.”

Now that was not common knowledge. Still suspicious, Laxus leaned back and studied the man with narrowed eyes. Maybe he was telling the truth, but Laxus couldn’t shake off this unsettling feeling he was getting. “Alright, looks like you pass. Still, I’m watching you. Any more slip-ups, and you’re out. Got it?”

The man stiffened, nodding with a light smile. “Yeah, sorry! I just was surprised that he was leaving so soon on a job to free her.” he stated awkwardly, once again attempting to cover up his shock. Maybe it was actually the truth, though. It wasn’t like Zeref went on jobs concerning Mavis that often, at least not recently. In fact, now that he thought about it, the more he realized Zeref had been avoiding the subject of Mavis for a long time. Lately, whenever her name was brought up, he’d vanish for a few hours and then return with the saddest look on his face. Honestly, for such a powerful wizard, the guy was way too sensitive and cried far too much.

Taking another drink from his cup, Laxus rose to his feet. “Right. Well, like I said before, I’ve got better things to do then sit around talking all day. If you need more answers, try bothering Mira or my old man. I’m sure they’d love to talk all day long, it’s not like they’re bothering to do any work around here right now.”

It was a bit harsh, considering that Mira was at least getting jobs for them. Then again, the girl didn’t go on many missions lately. After the scare she had on one when Lisanna nearly died, she seemed to back off of going on dangerous jobs. She transformed into being kind of like a secretary for the guild, organizing paperwork for Zeref and helping him instead of actually working. While her work still helped the guild, Laxus thought she was being a coward for refusing to fight anymore. Battles heightened a wizard’s ability, and allowed them to become more creative with their spells. Without jobs that put someone in dangerous situations, a wizard would never grow to become more than they already were.

Mest remained at the table, but Laxus could feel the wizard’s gaze following after him. Approaching the request board, Laxus scanned the posted jobs for a brief moment. It didn’t really matter which one he took right now, so long as it got him away from these annoying people as soon as possible. Ripping off a request that entailed stealing some costume from a well-loved actress, Laxus turned to leave without another word. Maybe things would seem a bit better when Master returned, because right now, Laxus couldn’t stand to see how far Fairy Tail had fallen over the more recent years.


	33. Selfless

The boat ride was quite surprising, Zeref noted, in the sense that Wendy was correct. She did not get sick while on transportation, and their travels seemed to be going well, at least for her. With his funding, it had been quite easy to purchase a small ship to sail from Fiore across to the continent containing his empire. The seas were peaceful, the waves gently rocking their boat as he gazed calmly over the edge at the horizon. It looked as if there was no land in sight, giving him a feeling as if the entire world was nothing but water. The sea glistened under the sunlight, sparking in spots and looking darker in other areas, where the water became deeper than normal. Overall, it was relaxing to the black wizard, being surrounded by water rather than land. Here, there was nothing visible that could be harmed by his magic, unless he considered his companions within the boat.

Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Natsu hunched over in his seat. He groaned, clutching his stomach tightly as he fell to the side, his cheeks bulging as vomit filled his mouth. Zeref couldn’t help but feel sorry for the boy, but it was his own fault. The dragon slayer had insisted on coming with, though Zeref couldn’t fathom why. This boy truly was insistent on befriending him, despite all of the warnings Zeref gave him.

Next to him was the true purpose behind this journey. Wendy looked nervous, reaching over and patting Natsu’s head as he groaned. “Wow, you really do get motion sick…I didn’t realize it was this bad…” she commented. 

“How foolish. Didn’t he insist on coming with? I thought August said that only you were required to aid him with this friend of his, not some other wizard.” Charle commented, sitting in Wendy’s lap. 

There wasn’t much room for resting within the ship, Zeref admitted. The boat was not designed for long journeys, but he didn’t see the need for the comforts of a larger ship. Instead, it was a simple sailboat, with just enough room for them to all sit if needed. While many did not realize it, Zeref was actually quite skilled at sailing all forms of boats. His attempts to flee from his curse and search for isolated areas led to much travel, overseas and over land. As a result, he had to understand how to navigate through water, and sailing was one of the simpler methods to master.

Listening in to their conversation, Zeref let Wendy reply. “I guess…though I’m kind of glad he’s coming too. I don’t think I’d feel comfortable going all by myself…it makes me nervous, just imagining it. An entirely new country, with people I don’t even know and wizards that are probably more powerful than I could possibly imagine. It just feels…a bit overwhelming, I guess.”

Her cat nodded, patting her hand. “Don’t worry, Wendy. You have me by your side, you know I’ll do everything in my power to protect you.” she insisted. “Besides, there isn’t a wizard on earth that can do what you can. Be proud of your gift, and don’t let anyone make you feel like you are useless.”

The sky dragon slayer smiled weakly, nodding and gripping her seat tightly. “Thanks, Charle. I know I can always count on you.” Her brown eyes turned towards Zeref, frowning slightly. Feeling her gaze on his back, Zeref turned his head over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow at her. “Look…you said we’re going to another country. I was just kind of curious…why is your friend there? I mean, wouldn’t it be easier to have her closer to you, in case you found a way to cure her?”

He didn’t quite know how much to reveal, and that made him turn back towards the sea. Walking over to the edge of the boat, Zeref frowned and gazed at the sky. He had already said far too much, to complete strangers nonetheless. They knew of his curse, and of Mavis, yet he had no other options to continue on this path. While he had the girl’s aid for now, he knew that it would be easy to lose it if he wasn’t careful. Gaining the trust of people was always an interesting game, in a way. They expected to be trusted in return, however, faking that trust would suffice in many ways. By limiting which truths he revealed, he could gain powerful allies without actually revealing anything about himself that could cause him harm.

Tilting his head, he decided that perhaps there was a benefit in allowing her to know this much. She had agreed to a long journey, after all, and it wasn’t as if he had anything better to do at the moment. “You are correct. It would be far easier if Mavis were nearby…however, certain circumstances prevented me from allowing that. I had to move her, to protect her from those that would wish to abuse the magic surrounding her.”

Wendy frowned, glancing towards him. “Wait, others can access that magic? Are you saying…that someone could use her body to gain death magic like your curse?”

It was an easy misunderstanding to make, but Zeref had to tread lightly. Revealing the truth behind Fairy Heart would not benefit anyone, not right now. “Not quite. It…is difficult to explain. For the purpose of protecting her, I cannot reveal the entirety of the truth behind this magic, but I will assure you that it would be coveted by many if it became public knowledge.”

Wendy glanced away, biting her lip as she looked at Charle. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.” she stated quietly. “That must have been hard, though. Trying to protect her, but not being able to turn to anyone for help…it’s just so sad. Have you ever thought of looking into saving yourself too?”

It was a question Zeref did not wish to think about. Deciding to end his suffering had been what pushed him towards Nirvana, and the transformation of his own mindset. He had never quite realized how close to that darkness he was, and now that he saw it, he feared what he could become. Wishing for death had not seemed like a harmful desire, but for an immortal, it could cause the destruction of the world. After all, it would take an immense amount of power to end his life, as a result of his curse.

Closing his eyes, Zeref let out a breath and slowly nodded. “In a way, though I suppose you may not see it the way I do.” he stated calmly. “At first, I had researched possible ways to remove my curse. After a few failed attempts and more theorizing about how this curse works, I came to the conclusion that only the one who gifted me with this magic can take it away. As a result, there was only one path that held any potential of ending my suffering.”

The girl seemed confused, frowning. “That doesn’t make much sense, you know. Why go after Nirvana, if you already thought it wouldn’t work? It seems like it would be better to pursue this other path you mentioned, to be honest.” 

Turning towards her, Zeref moved to take a seat next to her. Natsu seemed to be oblivious to both of them, still attempting to not vomit all over the boat’s floor. Resting by her side, Zeref felt a few strands of her hair brush against his hand as the breeze rustled through the strands. “Nirvana…was not meant to take my curse away. I had intended to alter that spell, in a way that would allow it to alter my curse, not take it away. As for the path I mentioned…I am no longer certain if it is the one I should take, considering the damage it could cause. Every time I follow my desire to free myself, more death follows in my wake.”

Wendy didn’t seem to understand, still frowning and playing with the edges of her dress. Her hands picked at the frill around the bottom edge, pulling it down further around her knees. “Well, maybe after helping Mavis, I could help you. I don’t know if it will work…but if healing can free her of your magic, why couldn’t it do the same for you?” Her question was sweet and innocent, but it only showed how ignorant she was about the inner workings of magic.

Tilting his head back, Zeref stared up at the sky. There were a few wispy trails of white clouds, scattered at spots above them. “It isn’t so simple as healing it away, Wendy. Curses are far more complex than you think, even ones that are not as…permanent as my own.” He wasn’t sure how else to describe it, to be honest. The Curse of Contradictions wasn’t meant to be malevolent, not entirely. It was simply a form of punishment by the gods, much like arrest was the government’s way of enforcing laws. “I cannot think of a single curse where healing would make it vanish. They are more akin to an enchantment, than an ailment. It is a permanent fixture of magic that functions like a parasite, gaining power from the individual’s own energy. The effects of each curse vary, however, the layout of the energy woven around the victim is intricate and delicate. One wrong move in unraveling the magic could result in a far more painful situation than the curse had ever put them in.”

“Why do you know so much about curses?” Charle commented, narrowing her eyes at the black wizard. “I understand that you may have one, but it simply doesn’t make sense for you to research multiple versions of such dark spells to free yourself. Wendy may trust you, however, you have not proven yourself to me, August.”

A dark smile spread across Zeref’s face, his hand lifting to rest on his forehead. With the warmth of the sun on his skin, he felt so relaxed at the moment. It was unusual for him to feel this way, especially with people around, yet the tranquility of being above the water seemed to be settling in. “Distrust me if you wish, I did not claim to be someone you should befriend. Natsu is rather foolish in that aspect. I’ve learned that it is rather pointless to attempt to dissuade him from attempting to learn more about me.”

Smiling slightly, Wendy turned to glance at the other dragon slayer. It was even more interesting to see that she was not affected by the boat, unlike him. Zeref was curious as to why that was, but he had never focused his research on the dragon slayers to that extent. As soon as he had determined that they were the only ones with magic capable of harming dragons, he had learned enough for his plans with them. Stopping Acnologia was their purpose, so he didn’t necessarily need to learn the specifics on how their weaknesses functioned.

The sky dragon slayer patted Natsu’s head when he groaned again. “Make it stop…” he complained, lifting his head for a brief moment. That moment ended and his head dropped back down with a smack against the wooden seat. 

“So, you study curses and you seek the power of dark magic like Nirvana. If you ask me, you’re starting to sound like one of those dark wizards we were warned about before starting this job.” Charle commented, trying to get focused back on their conversation.

Blinking, Wendy slowly seemed to sit up straighter and focus on Zeref. “You’re right. He does sound like them…and he wouldn’t give us his real name, either…” She trailed off, looking nervous as she attempted to scoot away from Zeref just slightly.

He was used to all forms of reactions to learning about who he was. The most common of them was fear, with worship being a close second depending on the people he was near. For his purposes, Wendy could not be among those who ran in terror. If she did so, Zeref would lose any potential he had of saving Mavis with her healing magic. “I…it is difficult to explain.” He settled with the simplest explanation, without lying to the girl. Zeref still didn’t know if it would be enough.

Frowning, Wendy still didn’t seem comfortable again. “You didn’t deny it, though.” she commented. “If you’re a dark wizard, that means you’ve hurt people before, intentionally. The Council wouldn’t punish you like that for being cursed. That label is only given to wizards in dark guilds, who want to kill and hurt others.”

Closing his eyes, Zeref let his head drift back down. He felt the slight pressure as his chin rested against the top of his chest, his hair falling over his eyelids. “My past is complicated. I’ve gone through many different…mindsets, if you will, in multiple attempts to learn how to cope with my situation. For a time, I was a dark wizard as a result. However, these days I try to do as little as possible to interfere with the workings of the world. Still, the Council knows my name, and if it is heard, I will be arrested on sight.”

The white cat next to Wendy looked thoughtful, her arms crossed over her chest. She huffed, turning her head away for a moment as she avoided Zeref’s gaze. “Well, that does not mean I approve. You are still risking Wendy’s safety by dragging her into this mess of yours. Wouldn’t the Council arrest her as well, if the two of you were discovered?” He question was a valid concern, though Zeref wondered how she hadn’t reasoned through the basic idea behind his logic.

“She cannot identify me, can she?” Zeref countered, raising an eyebrow at the cat. “There is a reason I’ve given you nothing but false names. The less you are aware of, the better you are in the future. Simply being near me is enough of a risk, I will not be responsible for you losing your freedom as well.” Despite what many people seemed to think, he did have a conscience of some form. It was simply that he found it difficult to listen to that part of his mind. After killing so many, guilt faded away quickly and left him numb instead. Most of his plans were made without even considering the moral repercussions of his actions. It wasn’t until they were in motion that he realized how much pain he put others through, and then, in turn experienced his own form of suffering when he saw that it was his own fault.

Charle didn’t respond again, but Wendy gave Zeref a nervous smile. “Oh…I guess that makes sense.” she commented. “It just…it feels so weird. Everyone before said you were evil, because of your magic, but you seem nice to me. You’ve even thought far enough ahead to make sure I can’t be punished for helping you…because I don’t know who you are. I kind of see why Natsu wants to be your friend, now. You always put others before yourself, even if you don’t realize it.”

That comment gave Zeref pause. His actions were always self-serving in some form. Even right now, his discussion with Wendy was bringing her closer to his side, motivating her to help him. His actions with Natsu before had served a similar purpose, gaining an ally within the ranks of the rune knights while also giving him an insight into the true power of a dragon slayer. Despite how it appeared, Zeref’s actions were not meant to be selfless, though he did realize his plans involved much consideration as to how others would react to what he did. 

Perhaps he did think more about others than himself, in a way. It had never been his intention to do so, but every plan always involved outsiders in some form. Reading how people acted and predicting what they would do was the best method Zeref had for moving forward. Mavis’ strategizing had taught him that much, and after watching silently in the shadows for centuries, Zeref was an expert and reading people, even if he did not quite grasp the concept of socializing himself. His actions were carefully monitored and controlled, based on the reaction he wished to receive from those around him. To the eyes of others, he was acting quite selflessly, though it all aided himself in the end and made the motive quite selfish.

Realizing the underlying contradiction, Zeref felt a smile flicker at the corners of his mouth. “I suppose I am selfishly selfless.” he murmured under his breath, not really commenting to anyone in particular. Wendy still shook her head in response, smiling a bit more comfortably as she gazed at him with warm brown eyes.

“No, just selfless.” she corrected. “Like I said, you just don’t seem to realize it quite yet.” With that, they settled into a comfortable silence. Zeref had nothing more to add, though he did know the truth behind his own actions. Nothing was done without the hope of some form of gain. While it was nice to imagine a world where he could be the person Wendy saw him as, Zeref knew that in the true depths of his heart, he was one of the darkest wizards alive. All he had to do was think back for a single moment on his actions as he attempted to end his own life, at any point in history, to see just how far he was willing to go to serve his own ends.


	34. Lessons that Come with Age

When the boat finally docked, Zeref moved first towards Natsu. The wind had picked up over the last few hours of their journey, and now, the waves were leaving the boat stuck with a stead rocking motion. As such, despite the fact that they were no longer moving, Natsu could not get up himself. Hesitantly, Zeref knelt down by the boy. Wendy was too small to lift him, and that meant he had to be the one to drag the dragon slayer to land. 

Seeing his hesitation, Charle walked over with a huff. “Honestly, do you expect me to think of everything? Getting close to others will get people killed, you said so yourself. Don’t be so reckless!” she insisted. Blinking in surprise, he wondered just how the cat planned to solve their dilemma. However, that was when she proved to be even more like Happy than he first realized. Wings appeared on her back as she gripped Natsu’s shoulders tightly, ignoring the boy’s groans. Flying for a short distance, she deposited his body on the dock, still collapsed as he struggled to recover once more.

“To be honest, Natsu is the safest of all of you from my magic. While I may be…closer to him than Wendy, his scarf is made of dragon scales. That alone allows it to absorb the majority of the harmful effects of my magic, so long as he is not within one of my outbursts for a prolonged period of time.” Still standing on the boat, Zeref did attempt to defend himself further. Charle’s comment was valid, but he disliked being reprimanded by anyone. He was centuries older than anyone alive at the moment, and as such, he felt like no one had much more to teach him. His lessons had been learned, through pain and suffering that no one could comprehend.

The cat rolled her eyes, still waiting for Zeref to join them. With a sigh, the black wizard took a step towards the dock, carefully balancing himself as his weight shifted the motion of the boat. It rocked towards the dock slightly, and he moved quickly to avoid having it topple over and leave him in the water. This was why he made sure to be the last one out. Since Wendy had gotten out first, the boat had been balanced by the extra weight of Natsu and himself, giving her a much easier time of leaving without issue.

Taking a deep breath, Zeref paused and glanced down at Natsu. The dragon slayer was slowly getting back up, glancing around them with a frown. “So, this is the Alvarez Empire, huh?” he questioned.

Looking around, Zeref did admit it was not the most impressive place to land in his empire. The town was small, the nearest port city to where Hargeon was located. Crestia, as it was known, was quite small compared to most cities within his empire. To Natsu and Wendy, it may appear to be of average size for Fiore, though. At the end of the dock, a stone street stood, bordered by colorful stores meant to lure in visitors. Port cities were designed to accumulate wealth from travelers, with windows clearly displaying various types of merchandise as soon as they walked towards the shore. People moved about on the streets, talking with their families and friends in voices that were too muffled by the outside noises to truly understand.

In between the buildings towards their right was a street leading deeper into town. Taking various turns, Zeref knew that there was a much smaller residential area hidden within Crestia. The actual residents only took up about ten percent of the area of the city, with the rest of the land devoted to warehouses, inns, stores, and attractions for those visiting Alvarez. Zeref found most of the attractions here lacking in appeal, since they were quite out of date. Most people visiting Alvarez entered further north, closer to the capital city of Vistarion where the true glory of his empire could be seen. Crestia was still decent enough to provide an idea of what Natsu and Wendy should expect throughout the rest of their travels in Alvarez.

Turning towards Natsu, Zeref frowned and finally replied to his question. “Yes, though we are just on the edge of the empire. It spans much more distance than you’d imagine, and it could actually rival all of Ishgar in size.” he explained.

Blinking, Wendy’s eyes went wide as she picked up Charle and carried the cat in her arms. “It’s can’t be that big…I think you meant to say it rivals Fiore in size…” She sounded a bit nervous at the idea, but Zeref shook his head with a light smile.

“No, I meant exactly what I stated. This empire contains approximately seven-hundred-and-thirty guilds, all united under a single emperor.” he corrected. “In order to stay prosperous, much land is needed. In many ways, Alvarez is quite strict, however, that is offset by the protection it can provide. Their military power is unrivaled, due to the sheer amount of wizards within, and the training provided through the emperor.” 

Natsu smirked at that, crossing his arms over his chest as they moved off of the pier and onto the streets. Zeref led them, taking them through Crestia with ease. It was getting late, and they would likely need to rest before continuing on towards Vistarion. “Sounds interesting. If I find one of these wizards, I think I might challenge one to a duel or something. After all, I’ve gotta prove the strength of Fiore while I’m here, and show them what a real wizard can do.” He sounded massively overconfident, much like before, but Zeref simply shook his head.

“I would advise you to be careful who you challenge, Natsu.” Zeref stated, nodding as someone paused and bowed towards him on the street. He rarely wandered around in public within his nation, but his face was known quite well. Charle shot him a confused glance, but he ignored it quickly. “As we continue our journey, we will be venturing into the capital city of the Alvarez Empire. There, most of the wizards are strong enough to rival one of your Ten Wizard Saints in power alone.”

Another family quickly moved aside in the street, giving Zeref a wide path to move through. This time, Charle didn’t remain silent about her curiosity. “What is with these people? If I didn’t know better, I’d say they recognize you.” she commented, narrowing her gaze towards Zeref.

Avoiding their gazes, Zeref tried to focus on simply walking. It was rather easy to do, considering how everyone paused to show him their respect in some form, bowing and moving out of their way. “Ah, yes…I suppose I didn’t mention that before. While I may be a wanted criminal in Fiore here, I am known quite differently.” he stated, smiling as he nodded towards another person by the street.

This woman seemed more enthusiastic than the others, cheering out towards the town about his arrival. “He’s returned! Our emperor has returned, someone send word to Vistarion!” she announced, looking around for an official to report to. It was common procedure, with how often he came and went from the nation. It was up to his guards to prepare the castle for him to return, ensuring that people were evacuated from the nearby city as a precaution, with the exception of the Spriggan Twelve. The castle itself would be cleaned, with the majority of their time focused on the room that had been neglected for however much time he had been absent for. Considering how often he traveled, he had given them orders to not waste their time cleaning his bedroom unless he intended on using it.

The shout, however, had a much different effect on his companions than it had on the citizens and visitors in Crestia. “Emperor?” Charle demanded, her eyes wide as she stared at Zeref. “You can’t possibly be…” Her voice trailed off, while Zeref waved towards the others to ensure that his respect was maintained. He didn’t manage to create such a large kingdom by not maintaining a healthy mix of fear and respect within his citizens.

Keeping his voice quiet, Zeref continued to speak with the others. “As I stated before, my role here is quite different than it is in Fiore. My name here is the Spriggan Emperor, hence the reason I gave you that name to call me by when we arrived.” He glanced towards them out of the corner of his eye, seeing Wendy simply staring at the crowd with a stunned expression.

Natsu was frowning, his gaze locked on the back of Zeref’s head. “Emperor, huh? Well, I guess that explains why you hid her here.” Out of the few companions he had, Zeref hadn’t expected Natsu to be the one to reason that much out. His eyes widened ever so slightly, but no one noticed the change in his expression. “I mean, you’ve got an entire army that can guard Mavis, plus, you have a ton of room to hide her. Seems to me like you should have chosen this place originally, rather than trying to hide her back in Fiore.”

With Natsu’s added reasoning, he could see the boy’s logic. However, there was another aspect he was missing. “In terms of area and potential places for discretion, you are correct. The Alvarez Empire does have a few uninhabitable areas, due to plateaus and mountains that block our ability to continue construction of cities. However, we also have a much larger population than Fiore. That means there are more threats, more wizards that may come seeking her than you would find back in your land. When you add in the aspect that moving Mavis is quite a challenge…it simply seemed more reasonable to leave her where she began, in the home she made for herself with the family she chose.” The thought made him smile somewhat, though his eyes grew distant and sad.

At the time when Lumen Histoire was created, Zeref had to admit he was not in the mindset to be near the guild. She had stepped down a few years before his curse took her life, telling Zeref that she could no longer stand risking her family with her own curse. While he had not told her a word of it at the time, he had been certain that she was aware of his love for her. The two of them had been…quite close, ever since Fairy Tail had been founded. With his curse and knowledge on her own newfound eternal youth, they had an odd companionship founded on the basis of their shared suffering.

Then, he finally expressed his true desires to her. That day, when he told her of just how deeply he cared for her, he intended to ask for Mavis to become his entirely. He had thought she was the only person who could possibly walk by his side, for all of eternity. He had figured out that her eternal youth was more than either of them first thought. Telling her had been the source of his new status as guild master, actually. After her presence killed Makarov’s mother, she came to him, desperate for someone to tell her it was wrong. However, neither of them could deny the truth. She was immortal, cursed just like him, so nothing could kill her. 

Seeing her suffering, Zeref had been unable to refuse her request. She needed to get away from her family, in order to protect them. With how distant he had been with the other members of Fairy Tail, his curse would not affect them like hers would. She trusted him beyond anyone else, and with his skill in magic, he could keep the guild strong. Mavis insisted she would return one day, when she regained control, and for a while, he didn't see her again. She went into isolation for some time, before returning to visit him once more. Then, she had a different request for him, one which even he could not grant. Instead of giving her the death she asked for, he kissed her, and that was the end of the only person he ever allowed himself to truly love.

Even to this day, Zeref regretted what happened afterwords. He had been Fairy Tail’s master, attempting to fulfill the role Mavis wished him to have. It was a difficult transition, he had to admit, and he was often too quiet to truly manage the guild as it should have been. After her death, it only grew worse. He returned the guild, heartbroken and reacting the only way he knew how to act; Zeref shut the world out and put on the face of the black wizard, the villain the world expected him to be. Simply abandoning her body on the doorstep of the guild, Zeref had fled to try and recover from the tragedy, meditating on Tenrou Island for nearly a year before someone came to find him.

He had been surprised, to be honest. Makarov had been a young boy, barely learning to use his magic, yet he was the only wizard from the guild that seemed concerned enough to seek him out. When he saw the young man, Zeref had been startled. No one was supposed to be on the island, yet this wizard was here. Even more surprising than his presence had been the boy’s words.

“I still remember what I saw last year. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.” The boy had seemed so sad and worried, glancing at the ground with his hands clenched into fists. Makarov actually had tears slowly falling from his eyes, and after the mention of the events of last year, Zeref had been on the verge of doing the same. He didn’t know how, but Makarov knew the truth, he had seen it in the wizard’s sad gaze. “Even so, there is one thing I cannot deny. Fairy Tail needs you…we need our Master back. Please, I don’t care if you are a black wizard, I know you didn’t mean to harm Mavis! Help guide us back to the right path…teach us how to be strong, just like you are. If you can survive after that…if you can pick yourself up and keep moving, that is a strength greater than what anyone else possesses. It is one thing to accept the death of a loved one…it is something entirely different when you begin moving forward in your life and begin to see the bright future ahead of you once more. 

Those words had stunned Zeref, with just how wise they sounded from a boy so young. “Right now…none of us can see that,” Makarov continued, seeing that Zeref was not speaking. “Our futures have gone blank. Precht attempted to take your place for a moment, but last month, he vanished too. Never once was he labeled as our master, for we all assumed you’d return. Now, we have no one…no guiding light, and nothing but grief in our hearts. If you come back, you can show us the strength of your own heart, though. I know who you are, Black Wizard Zeref! Despite your name, you are our family, a father to everyone in the guild, including myself. Please, help us find a new path, because right now, we are about to fall apart!”

That desperation, in both his gaze and his voice, had been the final push Zeref had needed. From that point on, he had devoted himself entirely to the guild, not only to honor Mavis, but to show Fairy Tail that it was possible to move on despite a lifetime worth of suffering and sorrow. Still, in recent years, it became hard once more to see the need for his presence. The guild recovered quickly from the loss of Mavis, and now, it seemed like they were adapting quite quickly to becoming a dark guild. In many ways, they could lead themselves, and that was why Zeref had been so close to focusing on his wish for death once more.

Zeref jumped when he felt a hand touch his arm. He lurched away, feeling the pounding in his head that was all-too familiar. Rushing in front of his companions, Zeref crouched down in the street and felt his magic explode once more. People here already knew to give him plenty of room, and as a result, he had nothing to fear from them. Natsu and Wendy watched from behind him, with the sky dragon slayer’s hand outstretched towards him and a sad look on her face. She had been the one to try and get his attention, he realized. Still, this was the end result. Closing his eyes, Zeref felt his eyes burn as he fought back against tears. Remembering Mavis was never a good thing for him, and right now, he was already far too emotionally unstable to think about how she had died.

Rising to his feet, Zeref kept a dark look on his face, almost as blank as his expression had been when he returned Mavis’ body to the guild. “Do not touch me, Wendy. My magic is far more unstable now than it has ever been in the past.” With that warning, Zeref turned down another street. There was an inn just around the corner, small compared to the others and normally empty with the distance it was away from the harbor. Walking inside, the innkeeper didn’t even say a word before handing him two room keys, one for himself and the other for his companions. Tossing one of the keys towards Natsu, Zeref wordlessly moved upstairs and into his room. With the door shut behind him, Zeref finally let himself collapse to the floor. Silent sobs shook his shoulders as he buried his head in his hands, letting his knees press into his chest. His heart ached still, and he found it hard to breath, but this pain was what he had to live with. Zeref was strong enough to live with his suffering; it was the one thing he had learned how to do after four hundred years of nothing but loss and misery.


	35. Pressure from the Council

It had been nearly a month since the investigation into Fairy Tail first began. Now, the Council was demanding results. Normally, investigations such as this could take moths, if not years, to actually succeed. With so little information, Lahar was used to going down dead ends multiple times before finding the one clue that finally led him to success. However, there was something much different about previous investigations compared to this one. Those did not involve an entire guild’s worth of missing wizards. As a result, the Council assumed it would be easier to find them in such a large group. They were wrong.

In his inn in Oshibana, Lahar sat at his desk and rubbed his forehead, placing his glasses on the desk. He was hardly getting any sleep these days. The rune knight captain would spend his nights reading over his notes from the case, memorizing details about Fairy Tail’s wizards and the few clues he had gathered. Somewhere, there had to be a hint of where they had gone. He just didn’t see it yet. With Gajeel’s added confession, it made finding Fairy Tail that much more important too. As a result, Lahar was feeling the pressure not only from the Council, but from his own sense of justice.

Just this morning, Lahar had received the letter he was staring at on his desk. While he still had his communication lacrima installed for any contact from the Council members, they were now choosing to use notes instead it seemed. They took longer, which irritated Lahar, but it was still a method of communicating that he could tolerate.

After reading through it earlier, he had no idea what to do. Michello had been the writer, the 3rd seated wizard amongst the members of the Council. The man had stated that if Lahar didn’t present them with at least a narrowed down location of Fairy Tail by the end of next week, he would be removed from the investigation and demoted for his inactivity and incompetence as a rune knight. The punishment was what shocked him the most. While ranks did often change amongst the competitive atmosphere of the rune knights, demotions were still rare. For failing to arrest a criminal in only a month, a rune knight shouldn’t have even been pulled from the case.

Still, he couldn’t fault their logic, either. A band of wizards meant they were traveling together. That would create attention, regardless of where they went and regardless of their appearance. While Lahar could at least pass along word that Phantom Lord believed Zeref was amongst the members of Fairy Tail, it wouldn’t aid his case. The Council would be stubborn, refusing to see the truth and resulting in him being fired, rather than simply demoted. Disliking the idea of being labeled as a madman by the Council members, Lahar discarded that idea quickly.

It was simply a challenge, likely due to the wizard they were up against. Struggling to consider just what the black wizard was capable of, Lahar questioned if Zeref was the reason they could not be found. After all, it had been four hundred years since any word of Zeref had been mentioned. All he knew was that he was known for killing hundreds, probably even thousands, of people and creating demons with his magic. Death was his specialty, but never once had he heard just how that power worked. Considering the aftermath left behind in Fiore, Zeref was likely capable of killing directly with his magic. Even other wizards seemed to have fallen, before any signs of a struggle could be shown on the scene. It was unnerving to consider, but it was the reality of the situation.

Slamming his hands against the desk, Lahar scowled in irritation with himself. Something this important shouldn’t be delayed, but he had absolutely nothing to use. Not a single witness would share news with him in Oshibana, and while he could travel to Clover, he was certain he wouldn’t gain anything new. Before he left, Gajeel had added that Fairy Tail left town after defeating Zeref’s demon, so it would be yet another dead end. Lahar simply wished these dead ends would finally stop. Oshibana refused to help, Clover would know nothing, and Fairy Tail had hidden any trail left behind in Magnolia. 

Frowning, Lahar tried to consider a potential pattern emerging. Thus far, the path was random and unorganized. Oshibana was located north of Magnolia, and it was actually just a few minutes away by train. Clover, however, was further to the west of Magnolia, and a bit south of Oshibana, almost on the same latitude line as Magnolia on a map. It pretty much backtracked from where Fairy Tail had originally traveled, ending any hint he might have gained from it. At this point, he would have been more pleased to hear that they had gone to Hargeon. At least then the randomness would make some form of sense. A port town would be required to travel anywhere by sea, but none of the three cities mentioned thus far were near any body of water. Even the rivers running through the country were a distance away from Oshibana and Clover.

Sighing, Lahar leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. There was a weight within his eyelids, and a tenseness to his shoulders that wouldn’t go away. Just between the blades of his shoulders, the pain was centered. Nothing seemed to stretch it out, and despite practically drowning in coffee all day, he could not keep his eyes open. His body was trying to tell him to rest, but it wasn’t an option with the new deadline, and the new threat posed by the black wizard potentially leading Fairy Tail.

Suddenly, a light was emitted from the lacrima resting on the corner of his desk. Someone was trying to contact him, and he immediately sat up straighter and activated the device to see who it was. On the other end, Lahar was stunned to see the familiar face of Doranbolt. The telepath had vanished days ago, and Lahar was slowly becoming convinced that his partner would not be returning to the mission. Now, however, he seemed to be getting proven wrong.

Doranbolt looked decent, though his outfit had changed from the usual uniform of a rune knight. The robes had been swapped out for a plain orange shirt and black slacks, both of which seemed to fit his appearance quite well. The bright color made his tanned skin contrast much more, and it brought out the color in his eyes. “Finally, I was worried you weren’t going to respond. I’m sorry it took so long, it was hard to establish communications without looking suspicious around here.”

Nodding, Lahar smiled slightly at his partner. “It is fine. I cannot tell you how glad I am to be hearing from you. On my end, I haven’t been able to learn much of use.” Thinking back to what Doranbolt had missed, Lahar considered for a moment. “Natsu did return, but he seemed to be rather conflicted about our arrangement when he did. From what I can gather, he’s encountered one of Fairy Tail’s wizards, but they’ve deceived Natsu into believing they are friendly still.”

The telepath frowned, looking worried. He seemed to be sitting in a plain room, with stone walls behind his back. It looked like something green was growing in the cracks behind Doranbolt, but Lahar couldn’t be sure. “That doesn’t sound good. Please tell me he hasn’t abandoned our investigation. Surely, Natsu realizes that he will go back to prison if he refuses to cooperate.” It was their arrangement, and Lahar couldn’t help but mimic Doranbolt’s concerned expression in response.

“He does, however, Natsu seems convinced he can find a middle ground. The dragon slayer is attempting to aid us, while also concealing the location of the single friend he made within Fairy Tail.” Crossing his arms over his chest, Lahar gazed steadily into Doranbolt’s gaze. “Actually, he did provide some information already. While I don’t know the entirety of the details, there is something odd that Fairy Tail has been hiding, likely for years now. Underneath the guild, we found a hidden basement. It was sealed using powerful magic, hiding not only the entrance but any magical aura that may have been contained within.”

Looking a bit alarmed, Doranbolt blinked at Lahar in surprise. “Did they really fall so long ago? I’ve only been here for a few days, but the few wizards I’ve met…” The telepath trailed off, looking away. “First, I met Loke. I’ll admit, I didn’t like him that much at first. He’s a big flirt, and he isn’t sincere about much of what he says, but there’s something about all of them that feels…connected, in a way. Part of me understands why Natsu sympathizes with them, though I do know that they’ve broken the law and must face justice.”

Trying to get back on track, Lahar cleared his throat slightly. Doranbolt shook his head, gazing back towards Lahar as the captain continued on. “Yes, well, there is more. The basement was guarded with more than just that enchantment. A misdirection in the actual building of the basement seemed to be included, with a hallway leading towards a trap that unleashed what appeared to be a demon that attacked us on sight.” Doranbolt gasped slightly, his eyes bulging at the idea. Now, Lahar seemed to correlate the demon with Zeref, but back then, he hadn’t even considered the Black Wizard actually being involved for a single moment.

When his partner didn’t reply, Lahar continued. “Natsu then directed us back towards the main chamber, and informed us of how to open the true hidden room within. Another enchantment…supposedly opened by saying the name of what was held within.” Leaning closer, Lahar made sure to speak quietly so no one walking by his room would overhear. “According to Natsu…the entire basement was a tomb, for Fairy Tail’s first master.”

The telepath seemed to relax after hearing this, grimacing but nodding in understanding. “Ah, yes. That is something I’ve come to realize after being here. I slipped up before, by being surprised when I heard that their mysterious master was away on some mission to ‘save’ Mavis. Unfortunately, that means I have yet to meet him and truly alter everyone’s memories for my cover, but it will happen in time. At least I’ve managed to locate their guild hall, so I’d say this undercover operation was more successful than we had hoped.”

Hearing that, alarms went off in Lahar’s mind. From everything he had seen, Zeref was not an easy wizard to overpower with magic. Likely, Doranbolt’s magic would fail to do anything to the black wizard. “If that is the case, I suggest getting out now. Based on the tips I’ve received recently….we don’t stand a chance if we face off against Fairy Tail’s master directly. We need to be discrete about this, and use his absence to our advantage.”

“Wait, you’ve identified him from the outside? Who figured it out?” Doranbolt looked shocked, already trying to learn more. “More importantly, who is the guy?”

Scowling, Lahar glanced at the table holding the lacrima, rather than the image of his partner. “You won’t believe me. In fact, I personally didn’t believe it myself, not at first.”

Chuckling, Doranbolt shook his head. “Yeah, well, I’ll believe almost anything right now. We’ve got a guild that sounds like they’re attempting to resurrect their former Master and who hides bodies in their basement. I mean, they’ve already shown their true colors, so whoever this dark wizard is, it can’t be anyone unexpected.”

The rune knight captain had not considered that possibility, but considering what he knew, there was probably no one else capable of accomplishing such an impossible task. If anyone could resurrect the dead, it would be the only wizard in history known to have created any form of life, Zeref. “If you insist, though I still find myself doubtful of your words.” Lahar commented dryly, focusing back on him. “Based on a report from someone who was present in Clover during the Lullaby incident, Fairy Tail was present to stop them.”

Doranbolt nodded, shrugging. “Yeah, I heard about that too. From what I understood, they had blocked the train station when Fairy Tail was trying to get out of town, so someone went to stop them.” With that news, the detour to Clover made much more sense. It explained their connection to Eisenwald, even if it was an obstacle to the guild’s attempted escape.

“Yes, well, apparently only a single guild that was present at the guild master’s conference saw fit to share information with us about the event.” Doranbolt raised his eyebrows at this, his concern quite obvious. “Based on that alone, it is certain that this wizard we are dealing with is a master of deception. If the rumor is to be believed, there is quite a valid reason as well. According to the informant from Phantom Lord, Fairy Tail’s guild master is someone the Council believes to be dead. In fact, the entire world believes him to be dead.”

This time, Doranbolt rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. “Stop dodging the subject, Lahar. We both know you’re just trying to avoid looking foolish. Wizards have fooled us before by faking their deaths, this wouldn’t be the first time.”

He had a valid point, but Lahar was still shaken himself by this news and he disliked having to be the one to deliver it. “You may be correct, but this is the first time someone who has faked their death centuries ago is now being reported as alive.” This time, Doranbolt froze, his eyes growing wide. “My source states that the Black Wizard Zeref was in Clover, aiding Fairy Tail in the killing of Lullaby. To be honest, I am slowly beginning to believe them. It explains many of the occurrences we’ve seen thus far, with the death magic in Magnolia and Fairy Tail’s insistence that their second master wasn’t dead in the first place. At the moment…I am fairly certain that the one they called Spriggan is not only Zeref, but also the Spriggan Emperor from Alvarez, providing an explanation into the false names provided within our investigations.”

His partner seemed thoughtful for a moment, frowning as he leaned back in his seat. Lahar watched patiently, wondering if Doranbolt would reach the same conclusion. After all, it wasn’t an easy jump to make. The only true similarity between Zeref and the Alvarez Empire at the moment was the name Spriggan, which seemed to link Fairy Tail’s leader with their emperor. Maybe there was some deeper meaning to the name that Lahar didn’t understand. He made a mental note to check on it later, considering it may provide useful insight into their target.

After a few more moments, Doranbolt slowly began to nod, rubbing the back of his head. “You might be on to something, but there isn’t really any way to prove it. I mean, if you consider what I’ve learned personally while here, it doesn’t make much sense. Why would the Black Wizard have any interest in some girl that founded a guild a little over a century ago?”

Thinking about Natsu’s attitude was the only hint Lahar had. “I can’t be certain…but based on how protective Natsu seemed to be of Fairy Tail’s basement, I’d say it was a personal matter. Maybe she did him a favor before founding the guild. Not much is really known about Mavis Vermillion, if you look at the history books. Based on our records, she founded the guild when she was about thirteen years of age, but before that, it simply states that she grew up on Tenrou Island. The only records from that far back on the island are of an old guild that was destroyed in one of the wars between guilds before they were outlawed, and that was before Mavis left that island.”

“It sounds like you’ve been doing your own research into this.” Doranbolt commented.

Lahar nodded. “This is concerning news, and I had to work quickly to at least be able to present something to the Council. They’ve given us a deadline. We have until next week to locate Fairy Tail, or they plan on demoting both of us and having us replaced with a new unit for the investigation.”

As expected, this got a reaction from Doranbolt. He sucked in a sharp breath, seeming to take a moment to calm himself before replying. “This isn’t good. The Council never rushes us to this extent. There must be something else going on that they need us to help with, otherwise there wouldn’t be this much pressure to close the case.” Frowning in thought, Doranbolt placed a hand on his chin, shaking his head before smiling slightly. “Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter either way. Fairy Tail is in Oshibana, taking up residence in the former guild hall of Eisenwald. Get here as soon as you can, and we’ll rendezvous to come up with a capture strategy concerning Zeref and the rest of Fairy Tail.”

This time, it was Lahar’s turn to be surprised. “Oshibana? How convenient…with no more leads in Magnolia, I moved on to investigate a possible connection to Eisenwald.” he mused, smiling in response to Doranbolt. “Just give me the time and place, and I’ll be there. Soon, Fairy Tail will be brought to justice, and they’ll begin to see the error of their ways.”


	36. The Price of Love

Zeref was lucky that his curse meant he didn’t necessarily require sleep to function. It made things more comfortable and allowed him to focus better, but Zeref could go weeks without sleep and suffer no ill health as a result. Today, it helped in the sense that while he had not slept for even a second the night before, he could focus on moving forward in the mission.

Unfortunately for Natsu, moving forward meant more travel for him. They found themselves in yet another train, journeying towards Vistarion with speed as Zeref questioned when someone would attempt to bring up his actions yesterday. A groan coming from Natsu left him feeling reassured that one dragon slayer couldn’t interrogate him, but Wendy was perfectly healthy and watching him with those wide, brown eyes. He felt like the innocence in them was far more perceptive than before, and it made him frown and focus his stare out the window of the train. The passing area was rural in nature, filled with farmland that fed the empire. Currently, the corn crop was growing within the fields, treating Zeref to a view of tall stalks blocking the sight of anything deep within the fields. 

Yesterday, he knew he had ended their conversation abruptly. His reaction would have been worrying to anyone, even complete strangers observing him on the street. Luckily, his citizens knew better than to question his actions, but those from Fiore were not quite so informed on his attitude. Thus far, Wendy simply watched him carefully, still making him feel the urge to squirm under her watchful gaze.

A sudden warmth on his side made Zeref flinch, turning to see Natsu falling out of his seat and smacking into Zeref’s leg as a result. “Not again…just let me off…I’ll walk the rest of the way…” His complaints made Zeref sigh, turning back and resting his cheek against the window. The surface was smooth against his skin, warmed by the sunlight outside. Today, there were a few more clouds blocking it from sight, but it was still shining through the fluffily white balls of fluff in the sky.

“I’d offer to help…but you can grow to be immune to my magic that takes care of motion sickness if I use it too much.” Wendy commented, looking sympathetic towards her fellow dragon slayer.

Natsu glanced up towards her, hardly seeming to have the strength to do much talking. “Just…do it…anything to make it stop…” he complained, clutching his stomach before he gagged again.

Kneeling down by his side on the ground, Wendy closed her eyes in focus, This time, Zeref glanced away from the window to observe. His interest in her magic had not faded, not with its potential to heal so much. Not only did it cure the magic lingering in Natsu’s scarf, but it also seemed to be capable of fixing a dragon slayer’s weakness to transportation. 

While Wendy looked a bit weaker as she continued working, her hands pulled away and she opened her eyes to focus on Natsu for a moment. Her magic had stopped, and now, Natsu looked shocked as he sat up suddenly, slowly grinning as he jumped to his feet. “What did you do? I feel great! You should have done this sooner, I feel like I can do anything now!”

With that declaration, Natsu turned towards Zeref with a smirk. “In fact, I think you should fight me! I wanna show her just how great this spell works. I’d never be able to fight on a train without it.” This made Zeref frown, his brows drawing together for a moment. 

“Natsu…you, of all people, should be aware of why that is not a good idea.” Seeing that the eagerness in Natsu’s face hadn’t faded, Zeref sighed and shook his head. “My magic isn’t designed for casual fights. When I battle, it almost always results in someone’s death.”

This did not seem to do a good job of dissuading the dragon slayer. “So? You said my scarf absorbs your magic, so there won’t be any problems.” he insisted, pounding a fist into his palm. “Besides, it’s not like we haven’t fought before.” Grimacing, Zeref turned away, trying to block out memories of Nirvana’s effect on his mind. “Plus, this is a great way to distract yourself! Get your mind off of Mavis and whatever else was upsetting you yesterday.”

Stiffening, Zeref’s jaw clenched tight as he turned slightly to avoid Natsu’s gaze. “It wasn’t anything else. Typically, I am good at avoiding remembering painful moments…but last night caught me off guard.” His admission made Wendy’s eyes soften, while Natsu only huffed and returned to his seat. He was glad that the dragon slayer had finally realized that fighting wasn’t going to happen.

“Fine, but you’re gonna fight me again one day, Z—er, August.” Zeref’s eyes flashed at Natsu’s near-slip, but luckily he had recovered before he went too far with his name. “I wanna show you just how strong I really am, and you seem like the perfect guy to help me practice.”

Recalling his time training other wizards, Zeref couldn’t help but nod in acknowledgment to his final comment. Wendy, however, was still caught up on Zeref’s earlier admission. “Are you…really that upset by this, after all these years?” she asked softly.

“Please, not now.” he begged, closing his eyes and leaning away from both of them. Maybe he should move to a seat by himself, where he would be able to travel without further disturbances.

The sky dragon slayer bit her lip, but leaned back in her seat. Sharing a look with Natsu, the two seemed to agree upon something that made the fire wizard nod. He turned towards Natsu, not smiling like usual. “Look, you don’t have to talk about it. Still, sometimes it helps to have someone you can be around to open up to. It isn’t healthy for you to keep letting all of this build up within you. I mean, isn’t that what made you want to…” Natsu trailed off, glancing at Wendy.

Before he could finish, Zeref closed his eyes and nodded. “However right you may be, it doesn’t mean…it doesn’t make it any less painful.” he murmured softly. His eyes opened again, glancing towards Wendy with a frown. If he was going to discuss anything from his past, he didn’t want her to hear it.

Seeing his look, Wendy gave him a small smile. “I’ll let you two talk for a bit. Charle and I will go find something to eat, okay?” she questioned. Nodding, Zeref shot her a slight smile and watched her leave. 

Turning back towards Natsu, Zeref leaned forward in his seat with his hands clasped in his lap. He wasn’t used to this, not in any form. Maybe he had grown to trust Natsu more than anyone he had met in centuries, but that did not mean he viewed the wizard as a friend, not yet. He learned his lesson long ago, and would never allow anyone to get that close again, regardless of how immune they appeared to be. “You already know about the story behind Mavis…that I loved her, and as a result, she was trapped in a state between life and death.”

The dragon slayer nodded, frowning. “Yeah, so what? We’re going to fix it, so you’ve got nothing to feel guilty about. It’s not like you meant to hurt her, or anything.”

Zeref’s grip tightened, his knuckles turning even paler than usual. “I never mean to do anything, and that is the problem.” he stated. “With Mavis…I had thought I found a way to finally….for just once in my life, to have…” Glancing towards Natsu, Zeref felt himself struggling to explain properly. “A friend.” he finished, closing his eyes. “She was immortal. In a way, that was my fault as well. I taught her the magic that gave her the same curse I have…I gave her everything necessary to join me in my torment, and yet, despite the fact that she wished to live on, unlike myself, she found the death I had longed for my entire life.”

“Like I said, you didn’t mean to do it, and we’re going to fix it.” Natsu insisted. “Even the curse. From what I know of you, I can already tell you won’t give up easily. Someday, you’ll find a way out of your curse. While I’m around, I’ll help you too. After all, I’m sure there’ll be some fun adventures while searching for a way to end a curse given to you by a god.”

It wasn’t enough, not to explain how he felt to the boy. “You don’t understand.” he stated, placing his head in his hands. “Until that moment….until Mavis died, I had no regard for life. I created demons without guilt, engineered spells that caused death and destruction, and built empires designed to wage war against the world.” Raising an eyebrow at that, Natsu crossed his arms over his chest. “Never once did I feel guilt for these actions…always, it served a purpose in the end. All of these spells and plans…they were methods that could be combined in numerous ways to attempt and end my life. Any collateral damage was not my concern, not when I would not be around to see what happened after I was gone.”

Listening intently, Natsu frowned at him. “Then…I met Mavis. I found some form of light, a reason to live for maybe a few years longer. My projects were put on hold, and I focused my time on helping her and her friends.” Zeref shut his eyes. “My training cursed her…and that altered my wishes to an even greater extent. If I had someone by my side…someone who understood, who would not perish like the rest, then it would be tolerable. With Mavis, I planned to search for a cure, rather than death. Then, that was taken from me in an instant. The hope I had for my future…the one chance to stay on a path of light, where someone would accept me rather than reject me, all because I chose to love someone.”

There was a harsh glare on his face, his hands now unclasped and clenched into fists. “I learned not to love, no matter the circumstances. The curse always wins, Natsu, there is nothing I can do to stop that, not until the day I die.” he admitted. “And now, I suffer even more than ever before. You see, Mavis’ death taught me something. She showed me the value of life…and made me feel guilt for my past, when no one else had managed to do so. From that point onwards…I couldn’t stop killing, but I also couldn’t stop suffering from every death that I witnessed. Even now…I can feel the pressure building, simply speaking of it.”

With a grimace, Zeref stopped talking for a moment and pressed a hand to his forehead. Taking a deep breath, Zeref focused on thinking of anything else. Fairy Tail came to mind first. He wondered if Laxus made it back to the guild yet. Perhaps a few wizards had gone on jobs, now darker in nature than they used to be. They would adapt just fine, he decided. 

As his thoughts randomly moved from topic to topic, the pressure faded and Zeref’s hand fell back to his side. “Damn…here I was, thinking I could help. Guess a fight to distract you isn’t that great of a suggestion after all.” Natsu gave him a weak grin, trying to lighten the mood. Zeref only kept scowling, not in the mood for his humor. “Look, just don’t think about it so much. I don’t know much about how it works, but you seem to know when that curse of yours is about to act out. Just now, you noticed it, and you put a stop to it.”

Sighing, Zeref shook his head. “It isn’t so simple. Stopping the curse like that requires great mental focus…even after centuries of living, it is difficult to control my thoughts to that degree.” Words were simple to control, as were his actions. However, just what did one do to prepare their thoughts? Thinking about your words and thinking about your actions were simple, but it wasn’t exactly possible to think before you had a new thought.

Shrugging, Natsu leaned back. “Well, then figure it out. Practice, and until then, stop finding reasons to blame yourself for it. Like I said last time, those deaths aren’t your fault. This god that cursed you is the one in control of this magic. If they have a problem with all of this death, they should take it away and realize you’ve suffered more than enough.”

Flashes of the war echoed in his mind, making Zeref’s expression darken and turn distant once more. Shaking his head, Zeref ignored them and closed his eyes. “No. In fact, I’ve done plenty to deserve this punishment. Ankhseram chose well for the bearer of his curse, it is simply time I learned to accept that it is here to stay.”

This time, Natsu glanced around before frowning towards him. “What did you do that was so bad? I mean, I get that you made demons and stuff, but you haven’t done anything recently, have you?” The question made Zeref pause, realizing that Natsu was correct. Still, it did not eliminate the centuries of guilt he had built up over the years. He had to pay the price for everything he had done, and for all the deaths he had caused.

More accurately, the answer Natsu was looking for went into why he was cursed originally. “It…that was a long time ago.” he stated, releasing a deep breath. “To put it simply, I attempted to alter fate, and angered the gods. My family died in the war with dragons, and I wished to bring them back.”

“That’s all it takes?” Natsu commented, running a hand through his hair. “I’m surprised I haven’t made them mad by searching for Igneel, then. I mean, I’m sure I’ve destroyed a bunch of stuff trying to find him…there was the harbor…that boat once…oh, I think I heard a rumor about him at a library, that was a bit of a mess…” 

The boy trailed off, seeming to be counting the places he had destroyed in his search for the dragon. Hearing that actually calmed him in a way. Here was another wizard, who managed to destroy the world around him entirely on accident. Unlike Zeref, however, Natsu seemed to be perfectly calm about all of it. While Natsu hadn’t caused any deaths, he had certainly done enough damage to warrant some form of guilt.

Seeing him, Zeref was reminded again of Makarov’s advice about strength. Natsu had the strength to move forward, he realized. Even when faced with the loss of Igneel, and then again with the loss of Lisanna, Natsu kept moving forward with a goal in mind. So long as he held onto that, Natsu could keep smiling. Closing his eyes, Zeref pictured Mavis’ face in his mind and let himself smile slightly. He had his goal, it was simply time to make that his focus, rather than his pain. He was freeing Mavis, and now, nothing would be getting in his way.

The sound of footsteps made Zeref glance over to see Wendy in the aisle, glancing between them hesitantly. “Sorry…I didn’t mean to interrupt, but Charle and I wanted to sit back down with you. I’m not comfortable around so many strangers…” Glancing around, Zeref noticed the train actually was getting crowded now. The closer they got to the capital, the more people they would likely find. At least, that would be the case until they reached the final stop before Vistarion, since the city would be in the process of a major evacuation with Zeref’s return.

“You are fine. We were just finishing, actually.” Zeref stated, leaning back and nodding towards her.

Sitting down, Wendy smiled at him. “Good. You’re looking…better, I guess. Actually, you look…as close to happy as I’ve seen you.” To most people, it would seem like an odd comment. However, Zeref knew he never truly looked happy, not lately at least.

He felt his smile spread further, a sense of calmness settling over him as the rumbling of the train seemed to take up his focus. It was the background noise here, but it was constant and soothing in a way, unlike the chatter of people around him. “Natsu…was more helpful than I thought he would be, actually.” The fire wizard blinked, looking surprised.

“I was? Well, glad I could help. I didn’t realize it would be that easy!” he stated, grinning widely at Zeref.

The black wizard smiled in return, letting his eyes drift shut. For now, he would let himself rest. His mind would be more focused for their arrival, because he knew that the Spriggan Twelve would not react kindly to the new guests. He just hoped Irene was away for the moment, because the enchantress was not known for being kind, and other dragon slayers would likely anger her further as they reminded her of the her own troubled past.


	37. Vistarion

Arriving at Vistarion was just as grand as Zeref remembered. The streets were cleared of citizens, with a few guards posted to welcome Zeref and his guests. Wendy, Charle, and Natsu all looked a bit uncomfortable following behind the emperor of this nation. They observed the guards warily, walking close to the only person they knew here as people smiled and waved at Zeref.

The city itself seemed to be circular, surrounding a massive, walled-in castle. Buildings were established outside of the walls, though Zeref found himself walking underneath the arched gateway welcoming himself into his old home. The castle itself was far more massive than necessary, but it was meant to be a symbol to the nation. With their wealth and power, anything was possible. Even the creation of a luxurious castle, large enough to function as a fortress for the entire city should it fall under attack. 

More towers of the castle filled their vision as they entered the courtyard. “I’ve never been to a castle before. Are they all this huge?” Wendy commented, glancing around in shock.

To be honest, Zeref couldn’t say for sure. He may have traveled much in his time, but he did not go sightseeing when he left the Alvarez Empire. “Perhaps, though I cannot say either way. This castle was built under my orders, so I can really only inform you about the architecture comparing it to other structures within my empire.” he explained.

Nodding, Wendy hugged Charle closer to her as she awed at the sight of the flowerbeds in front of the castle. Normally, they couldn’t be properly maintained if Zeref was around. For now, they were lively, though, filled with blossoms of reds and oranges to match the summer mood. They added a touch of warmth to the courtyard, and it made Wendy smile as she leaned close to smell a few of the ones planted in a planter resting on the window sill. 

Moving past her, Zeref pressed open one of the doors, guiding them into the halls of his castle. “Be careful not to get lost. If I am not near, a few of my guard may mistake you as intruders.” Zeref warned, watching them nod.

“If they do, I’ll be able to handle them.” Natsu insisted.

Raising an eyebrow, Zeref decided to elaborate on his comment from the train ride. “Oh, so I suppose you have the skill to counter a wizard who can freeze your flames?” To that, Natsu blinked in surprise while Zeref’s grin widened. “I thought not. That is just one of my elite guard, the others can do more. Likely, there are a few of them wandering about at the moment. They tend to the affairs of the empire when I am absent, which happens quite often.”

“Wow, I can’t believe there are so many powerful wizards here.” Wendy commented, glancing towards Zeref. “Did you train them all?”

Tilting his head, Zeref’s smile faded somewhat. “Not quite, though I did design the program used to train them. Anyone can educate them, so long as they are given the proper tools.” With the knowledge he had on magic, simply providing the Spriggan Twelve with notes on certain spells was enough to allow them to train his army. That, combined with August’s unique ability allowed any wizard to train and become stronger without ever needing to meet Zeref.

The hall they were walking down was just as grand as the outside. With a high ceiling and well-lit walls, the entire area had a warm feel to it. The lights cast an orange tint across the stone walls, painted a dark yellow to try and mimic the gold trim of his robes. Today, he had dressed in a different form of his usual outfit as well. When in the Alvarez Empire, he was known for wearing an altered version of his clothing. With a similar color scheme, he now wore a long, buttoned-up coat with gold cloth decorating it in patterns along the bottom edges. His white sash was now tied around his neck as well as around his torso, looking like a scarf while still providing a similar effect as it used to. Underneath it all, he wore long black pants and black boots, finishing the look of the man known as the Spriggan Emperor.

Turning down one of the other paths, Zeref began leading them to the central meeting room. Normally, the large room would be filled with a massive round table. Thirteen seats would have surrounded it, one for each member of the Spriggan Twelve and another one for himself. It was where all of their meetings were held, but recently, he had been forced to remove the table and replace it with something far more valuable.

Pillars lined the hall, creating windows for natural light to enter through this pathway. On the left, doors were scattered for various guest rooms and offices. Most of the time, they were occupied by the employees that worked at the castle, or members of the guard that were rotating their shifts. For now, the majority of them were empty with daylight streaming in through the windows. Outside, streams could be seen flickering in through the arches created by the cylindrical pillars on his right. It created shadows on the floor as they moved across, their silhouettes dancing along the walls as they moved.

The two dragon slayers continued staring in amazement at their surroundings. Crestia truly was nothing in comparison to this place. “If you wish to explore another time, I would be more than happy to show you around for your services. However, I’d prefer not to waste our time, if you do not mind.” Zeref stated calmly, glancing towards Wendy.

The blue haired girl smiled and nodded, moving along to stay near him. “Oh, that won’t be necessary. I was just admiring it, that’s all. Everything here…it’s so amazing. I don’t think I’ve seen anything like this place in Fiore.” 

Nodding, the other dragon slayer seemed to look impressed as well. “Yeah, I think you’re right. The air here even smells different…though, not quite like I’d expect.” His gaze flickered towards Zeref at that, reminding Zeref that he had once insisted that he smelled strange before. 

“I have not been here in quite some time, if that is what you were expecting.” 

With that, Natsu nodded and smiled. “Ah, that explains it. Anyway, I’ve been to Crocus on a few odd jobs and I can tell you right now, we’ve got nothing on this place. Even Era doesn’t have a castle this big, and that place houses the entire Magic Council sometimes.” Zeref would have asked how he was aware of it, but considering that Natsu had been arrested before beginning his most recent task, he realized just where the dragon slayer had been. 

“Consider me impressed. I had no idea you managed to create such a prosperous kingdom, Spriggan.” Charle added, though it was clear she was trying not to sound too approving of him.

It was still enough to hear their words, to some extent. No one ever came to this place to see the connection between himself and the empire. In some ways, it was almost like a well-kept secret that he never really had a purpose of keeping. Having it revealed, and having these two enjoy this place, felt oddly like having guests over in his home. While he did not usually long for company, it was a refreshing change, so long as he kept his mind focused on his goal and not on the two near him at the moment.

Taking a turn to the left, Zeref began moving away from the pillars and back into another hall like the original. This one had bare walls, with no doors to take them to new places. At least, there weren’t any doors visible to the naked eye. Here, Zeref stored away incomplete projects with magic, as well as notes on future spells to be completed later. Some of them were quite dangerous, so he kept them locked away. Another room in this hall held treasures and artifacts found throughout the Alvarez Empire, ones with known effects. Similar to the one before it, Zeref kept a hidden room with magical artifacts to be investigated, to determine if they were dangerous or safe for use.

With so many wards lining the hall, the air seemed to feel thick in this walkway. If he looked carefully, Zeref could spot a few of the magic circles carved into the stones of the walls, but Wendy and Natsu didn’t seem to look hard enough to see them. Instead, they followed until Zeref turned right once more, at the first opening available. Passing by three more doors, they came across a short hallway that ended with one last door, larger than the rest and white in color. Decorative gold swirls seemed to design the front of it, with golden handles that Zeref turned to open. Stepping aside, Zeref gestured for his companions to enter.

Following after them and shutting the door, Zeref stared with a frown before a familiar sight. Wendy and Natsu had been stunned into silence, but Zeref approached without reservations. The room itself was practically empty, cleared away for the purpose of storing his greatest treasure. In the place of the former furniture was a massive lacrima, with a crystalline shape that towered upward towards the ceiling. Tinted blue, the surface seemed to shine as the lights of the room reached the surface, reflecting in spots back towards them.

That, however, was not the most shocking thing about this sight. Within, appearing to be discolored simply due to the surrounding lacrima, was what appeared to be a naked young girl. Her long blond hair flowed down and around her body, covering the majority of her body from sight despite her lack of clothing. She looked somewhat troubled within, her expression frozen into an eternal frown as her eyes remained shut. 

Stepping closer, Zeref closed his eyes and pressed his palm to the surface. The lacrima was always cool to the touch, leaving his palm chilled as he reached outward with his senses. “Mavis…I’ve finally found someone who may be able to help you.” he whispered softly. A slight smile formed on his face. Leaning forward, he pressed his forehead to the crystal as well, not paying attention as his guests observed him in silence.

After a moment, Wendy came closer. “It…it feels like there’s already magic in the lacrima.” she commented, standing next to Zeref’s side.

The black wizard nodded stepping back and shaking off the few lingering memories of Mavis. “I told you on the boat that there would be. I understand that it may make the healing…more complex, however, we do have time available to us.” He hesitated on what to do, but there was one path that could work, depending on a certain individual’s mood. “If it comes down to it…there is someone I know who may be able to help you…though her specially lies more within enchantments, rather than healing. Perhaps she could temporarily remove…no, that wouldn’t work. There is too much danger in removing it from her…” Zeref thought for a moment, unsure of what to do about it.

Before anyone could reply, footsteps faintly filled the room with noise. “I see you’ve returned, my lord.” a calm voice stated. Turning his head, Zeref saw August walking around the crystal from the other side, joining him. The elderly man walked with the support of a long staff, with a long white beard resting on his chest. “I apologize that not many of us are present for your arrival. We did not have much notice of your return.”

Nodding, Zeref gazed back up at Mavis. “That is quite alright. For the time being, my focus is more so on Mavis than the activities occurring within the empire. I assume everything is still going well?” The question was meant to be fairly open-ended, but he trusted his Spriggan Twelve to handle things in his prolonged absences.

“Of course. Though, you may wish to look over a few documents we’ve been given. More trading agreements have been negotiated with Bosco and Caelum. This year, we will be getting far more fish than usual from Caelum, but we will be losing much of our wool as a result” August explained pressing a folder into Zeref’s hand. “Based on our calculations, we have more than enough to supply the empire with clothing for the rest of the year, and we can re-negotiate afterwords should we find the price too steep.”

Most trades were usually done with cash, but the island nation of Caelum was always trickier to manage. They were known for still utilizing a barter system for their economy. With their prime area in the sea, just to the west of Minstrel, they had a monopoly on the rare fish that lived in those waters. Minstrel had attempted to fish there as well, but found themselves kicked out by the protective magic created and developed by the water mages of Caelum. 

Considering that the fish from Caelum were a delicacy in most areas, it was worth the debates to barter with them for some form of resources in return for the fish. He nodded in agreement towards August for the offer. “I see. I shall look over them later tonight. For now, I intended on showing my guests just what it is we will be working on during our time here.”

“These young wizards will be aiding you?” August raised an eyebrow at them. “I do not feel confident that they are aware of a magic I have not yet learned.”

This did not make Natsu pleased, as expected. “Oh yeah?” Flames danced along his palms as he smirked and stepped closer. “I’ll show ya just how strong my magic is. Just you—“ Zeref grabbed his arm and shook his head, trying to cut him off before he challenged one of the most powerful of the Spriggan Twelve to battle.

Sighing, he closed his eyes. “Natsu, I told you before, do not challenge them to fights. August is far more skilled than you could imagine. In fact, he may actually be correct as to what he has seen and understands. With her healing ability, Wendy just may be the only wizard whose magic he has not seen and memorized.”

“Healing magic?” August nodded slowly, glancing towards the girl with a frown. “Ah, now I see. Perhaps I could observe while she works later on. It seems like it is a skill that may be of use to understand later on.”

“Of course.” Zeref stated without concern. August was always searching for an opportunity to learn, and he wasn’t going to argue against it. “Wendy, have you had the chance to examine the magic within? Does it feel…similar to what had occurred with Natsu’s scarf?” It was a question that could decide if this journey was worth the effort or not.

Touching her hand to the surface, Wendy frowned and slowly shook her head. “Not quite…it’s hard to describe, but the magic here seems like it keeps growing. I can’t get a read on what it is supposed to do…and there’s so much that I can’t even sense if it is something I need to heal or not.”

This was what he had feared, making him close his eyes and press his palms into his sides. “I suppose there is little to be done. Even with this magic clouding your ability to sense the curse, do you think you may be able to mimc your spell from before?” It was his final hope, at least for the current attempt. Even if Wendy’s magic failed, this had now become Zeref’s sole focus. He would find a way to reunite with Mavis, and return to the future he had begun to plan a little over a century ago.

“I don’t know if it will work…” Wendy trailed off, looking nervous as she glanced at Zeref. After a moment of studying him, she began to nod. Her expression hardened, her eyes glowing with a determination he had never noticed in her before. “Even so, I have to try. I promised you that I would help, and if that means I have to heal without knowing what is wrong, then I will do my best.”

With a smile, Zeref nodded and returned his attention to the lacrima. Pressing his palm to the surface one last time, he let himself smile pleasantly as he tilted his head towards the floor. “Thank you, Wendy. August, please escort them to the guest rooms in the central wing. After our long train ride today, as well as this discovery, I have a feeling our guests will need some rest before we can truly begin work on freeing Mavis.”

Nodding, the Spriggan Twelve member began to guide Natsu and Wendy away, leaving Zeref alone in the massive room. Turning away from Mavis, Zeref slowly sunk to the ground. Leaning his back against the surface of the lacrima, feeling the chill sink into his body through his shirt, Zeref closed his eyes. “I may not be able to hear you, Mavis, but it calms me just to know you are there. After all of this time, I know…I know you must hate me, but it changes nothing for me. Regardless of what paths our lives will take, my heart will always be yours. I just hope that when this is all over, you’ll be able to find it in your heart to forgive me and at least allow me to remain by your side, in some form.” Letting his hands rest on the ground by his sides, Zeref slowly began to sink into a deep sleep. His head rested against Lumen Histoire, as he dreamed about a young fairy’s beauty, enchanting the heart of the spriggan who wanted nothing more than to stay by her side for all of eternity.


	38. Knowing Weakness

Zeref’s slumber ended rather abruptly, though not after he had slept for a long time. The doors to the room slammed open, startling him awake and making his eyes fly open. Zeref’s black iris’s scanned the entrance, his hand raised to defend Fairy Heart if needed. Instead, however, he relaxed when he saw the familiar face of August entering, rubbing his forehead with Natsu behind him.

“Come on, I thought you’d actually fight me this time. Spriggan isn’t around to stop us, so why—“ Natsu cut himself off, glancing towards Zeref and giving him a slightly grin. “Ah, never mind. We’ll figure it out later.”

August looked quite stressed, shaking his head as he approached his emperor. Rising to his feet, Zeref wondered just how long he had left them to their own devices in his castle. In many ways, Vistarion wasn’t exactly a safe place to go wandering about alone. Not only did they have to be concerned with the potential arrival of more of the Spriggan Twelve, but Zeref also had various traps set up at different locations to protect his home from intruders. Sometime soon, he’d have to explain to them which paths were safe to take, and which ones to avoid.

Running a hand through his hair, Zeref shook his head with a sigh. “Is he still refusing to listen to reason?” Zeref questioned.

Nodding, his general crossed his arms over his chest. “He does not seem to grasp that his level is far beneath my own. For him to simply be in my presence, I have to work to ensure that my magical aura is concealed. I am certain he would collapse like most lesser wizards, if the true pressure of my magic was released simply as an aura alone.”

“Do it.” Zeref ordered, seeing August blink in surprise. “Natsu does not seem to be capable of learning without such a lesson. Besides, there could be harsher ways to show him his lack of ability, when compared to one of you.”

Without even glancing towards Natsu, August stopped inhibiting his magical energy from expanding. Even Zeref could feel the change in the air, though it was a sensation he was used to in his capital. To most people, magical auras weren’t even noticeable. They simply existed, an energy in the air that flowed harmlessly by them unless they focused on sensing it. However, some wizards had a particularly powerful magical signature. For those wizards, it became far easier to detect their presence unless they learned to hide their strength. 

Different levels existed of course, much like it did in everything. At the first stages of strong magical power, the aura became noticeable to any wizard. As the power continued to grow, anyone with even the capability of using magic would be able to sense their presence, even if they didn’t understand what it was they were sensing. Beyond that, only a few rare wizards could obtain enough power to be sensed by normal, non-wizards in the public. At this stage, most wizards were considered ancient and powerful, strong enough to compete with the Ten Wizard Saints of Fiore.

However, there was yet another stage beyond that, one few even realized. This was the stage where August’s power existed. At his energy level, not only could his presence be sensed by all, but it exerted immense pressure throughout the air. Without magic to resist the force of his power, the pressure would continue to push down on everyone around him. Most wizards weren’t even capable of remaining on their feet in his presence, falling into a crouch once August revealed his aura to them. Natsu and Wendy were no exceptions, their eyes wide as they fell to their knees and gasped in shock.

“This…what is this pressure?” Wendy wondered, her hands attempting to grip something on the stone floors. “I feel like…it’s almost hard to breath, there’s so much energy…”

The other dragon slayer could only nod, glancing up towards August with wide eyes. Sweat was beading on his skin, and for the first time, Zeref thought he saw fear in the dragon slater’s gaze. “It’s him…I can’t believe there’s a wizard out there…with this much…how could I ever possibly beat someone like him? If I can’t do that…how can I face Igneel again?” This made Zeref pause, holding a hand out towards August. With a nod, his general once again began to hide his magical aura, allowing the other wizards to collapse and breath heavily for a moment, trying to recover.

“Your strength and ability have nothing to do with seeing Igneel again.” Zeref stated calmly, watching as the dragon slayer grimaced and glared harshly back towards him.

It was clear that Natsu was angry and shaken by what he had just gone through, but Zeref remained calm. “Yeah, well how the hell am I supposed to know that?” The boy stood up stepping closer to Zeref. “I’ve spent years looking for him, and you know what I decided? I told myself that maybe once I became strong enough, he’d come find me. Igneel wants to see how far I’ve gotten with my magic, and I know that if I train enough…if I manage to keep beating every enemy in my path…” His hands clenched into fists and his gaze flickered towards August as he swallowed.

Sighing, Zeref shook his head. “There is more to you than your capability to fight, Natsu, just as there is more to magic than that as well.” Moving over towards Wendy, Zeref offered her a hand to help her rise to her feet. Charle glared at him for doing so, but he ignored her. His power was under control, and his memories were sealed away after getting a decent amount of rest. “If you wish to grow powerful, do so for yourself. Attempts made on the behalf of others rarely work, as your motivation is not strong enough to push you to your limits. August is a prime example of this. He made it his mission to know and understand the weaknesses of all forms of magic. He did not do this to impress anyone, nor did he do it to gain my approval. It was simply August’s own drive and desire to be capable of defending himself that allowed him to gain so much power.”

The Spriggan Twelve member nodded, focusing his gaze on Natsu. “Indeed, and even today, there are still questions I have yet to answer. Understanding your limits is the first step to knowing how to move forward. You may not be capable of facing me today, young dragon slayer, but there will likely come a time when your power surpasses my own.”

Natsu still seemed uncertain, watching the two of them with a frown. “Damn it, this isn’t helping me!” he complained after a few moments, throwing his hands into the air. “I know you know where Igneel is, but all of these goddam riddles are messing with me head. My strength won’t make him return, so what will?”

This was a dangerous topic, and now made even more so with Wendy’s presence. She was frowning between them, looking somewhat confused as to what they were arguing about. “Um…sorry to interrupt…but who’s Igneel? And how did you,” Wendy pointed towards August. “learn about every kind of magic in existence?”

Smiling slightly, August shook his head. “Perhaps that was an exaggeration of my strength. I cannot say for certain if my knowledge expands to all types of magic, though I can say it has been years since I’ve learned something new from another wizard. All it required was patience and time to understand, along with the proper motivation to move forward.”

Nodding, her brown eyes turned towards Natsu and Zeref for her other answer. “Igneel is my dad.” Natsu stated gruffly, his head pressing into his scarf. “He vanished seven years ago, though. Don’t know why he did, or where he went, but Spriggan already told me he knows where Igneel is.”

“Your dad…” Wendy trailed off, looking a bit uncomfortable as she glanced down at her feet. “Say, Natsu? You’re a dragon slayer like me…how did you learn your magic?”

“From Igneel, duh.” he stated, clearly looking as if it was obvious. “How else are you supposed to learn dragon slaying magic? I mean, dragons are kind of necessary to learn it.”

This was what Zeref had hoped to avoid. “Igneel was a dragon! Hey, Mister Spriggan, does this mean that you know Grandeeney as well?” Her brown eyes were wide and pleading, but he couldn’t say anything.

Ignoring her question, Zeref tried to avoid it by replying to Natsu’s comment instead. “Actually, a dragon isn’t entirely necessary for a wizard to gain dragon slaying magic. I’ve done a few experiments in recent years, and it is actually possible to implant a lacrima into the body of a wizard, enchanted with a few different spells, that can give said wizard the magic of a dragon slayer.” Smiling, he tilted his head slightly and turned towards Natsu. “In fact, you’ve already met someone who has gone through this procedure. Laxus is a lightning dragon slayer because of the lacrima within him, yet he has never once met a dragon.”

“You didn’t answer Wendy’s question.” Natsu stated, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m guessing this Grandeeney is the dragon that trained her. So, do you know of all dragons, or just Igneel?” It was clear that neither of them were going to let him dodge, and that made him close his eyes.

“It…as I told you before, this is a complicated matter.” For a moment, his expression was troubled as creases formed on his forehead. Then, he opened his eyes and let his gaze flicker between the two. “I cannot reveal anything about them. Many years ago, I met the dragons that trained you both, however, their current status is not something that can become public knowledge.”

With a frown, August moved to stand by his side. “My emperor is correct. If word gets out…it could spell another tragedy for the world. None of you want to see what would happen after such an event. Emperor Spriggan is calm for now, however, as each era ends, his decisions and actions change. While he is quite dormant at the moment, if a war is to emerge, I am certain we would all play a role in some form.”

“How on earth could friendly dragons spell destruction and doom for the world?” Charle demanded, looking mildly irritated.

Sharing a look with August, Zeref only sighed and shook his head. “As I stated before, it is quite complicated. The most I can say is that it has been…nearly three hundred and seventy years since I last saw a dragon.” It was something, at least. He hoped it would get them to stop questioning him, so they could move on to their true goal.

“Wait, what? I thought you knew where Igneel was now!” Natsu stated, looking a bit irritated. “I don’t get it…man, my head hurts trying to figure out all of this!”

“Then perhaps it is best if you don’t try so hard.” It was a suggestion he had been hoping to make quite a while ago. “One day, you may understand, but for now, there is work to be done. If you are well rested, I do believe it is time to get to work on freeing Mavis.”

With that, Zeref stepped aside to let Wendy come closer to Lumen Histoire. The sky dragon slayer set Charle down, gazing at the crystal with wide eyes. “Right…I still don’t know if this will work.” she commented, turning towards Zeref for a moment. “Like I said, it doesn’t feel like Natsu’s scarf at all. If you hadn’t told me your story, I never would have even thought there was something harmful about the magic here at all.”

Focused on the crystal himself, Zeref shrugged silently. “That is not what you are attempting to heal. Attempt to focus further, and reach deeper into the magic within. Do not alter the magic of the lacrima itself. Instead, focus on the magic surrounding the girl within.” It was the best advice he could give. Even he struggled with separating the immense power of Fairy Heart from the taint of the curse when he sensed the magic of Lumen Histoire. If his senses could hardly manage it, he doubted Wendy could be trained to separate the two in a short timeframe.

“Heal the girl…wait, what is this crystal even doing to her anyway?” she questioned.

“Preserving her.” Zeref replied, not wanting to provide more information. With all of the alterations done to the lacrima by both himself and Precht, it did far more than keep her body intact. When her curse and her own dulled magic combined with the crystal, Mavis’ magic energy expanded beyond what should have been possible for anyone. Infinite power rested in her hands, and she couldn’t even move a muscle to attempt and free herself.

The dragon slayer didn’t ask for more. Instead, she closed her eyes and pressed a hand to the crystal. “It’s cold. I didn’t realize that.” she commented, shaking her head slightly. “Maybe…just give me a moment…” Her other hand rose and pressed against the lacrima, spread apart and flat on the surface before her. Zeref watched carefully, still feeling highly protective of Mavis even though the lacrima was practically indestructible as it was.

Wendy’s hands became surrounded by a faint blue light. Zeref could sense the magic where he stood, the lightness of it that seemed to bring warmth to the room. By his side, August studied it as well with a frown. “I see…” he murmured quietly. Ignoring him, Zeref let his gaze lock on Mavis’ frozen form. He would not move until he saw some form of progress with her body. As unchanging as it ever was, he wondered if she would even retain her personality when she emerged. Somehow, Zeref thought it would work out in the end. If her memories had been harmed by the magic of the lacrima, then he would find a way to fix them. If she found herself down a road of darkness and depression much like his own, Zeref would follow that path side by side with her. So long as she had the opportunity to choose once more, he would be satisfied with the results.

Nothing seemed to be changing. Magic was filling the room, a bright light that he had not expected to feel as a result of Wendy’s power, but it did nothing. Surprisingly, the young girl actually appeared to have quite a bit of magic to use. Her body began to sway slightly after a few moments, though. The eyes that she had clenched shut seemed to relax slightly, her legs shaking as her hands slipped from the surface of Lumen Histoire. Charle rushed to her side as Wendy fell backwards, nearly collapsing onto the floor. Charle caught her and guided the girl down, while Zeref remained still, focused on the one person he had loved long ago.

With his hands clenched by his sides, Zeref felt his entire body grow tense. He was still waiting, waiting for something to change. Mavis’ eyes remained shut, her body still and enveloped by the pale blue crystal entombing her. There was a lingering magic in the air, though. Zeref could feel an energy around him, a light that he had only felt when one of Mavis’ illusions came near. It made him hopeful, wondering if perhaps it was the crystal itself in the way now. Maybe if he found a way to destroy it, she would begin moving once more.

Still, that energy began to fade away as well. It had just been the magic lingering in the air from the spell, nothing more. An emptiness filled his chest as he closed hie eyes, letting his head fall forward. “Wendy!” Charle shouted, shaking her body. “This is why you can’t overuse your magic. You know what it does to you.”

The cat seemed to be concerned for her friend, but Zeref couldn’t find it in himself to do the same. Instead, he was simply numb and thinking about how to proceed from here. Wendy’s magic was not the key, that much was clear. When combined with Fairy Heart, Mavis’ own magic seemed to activate in response, blocking it from reaching her body. That explained the light he felt before, at least. For some reason, her body rejected Wendy’s healing, and any further attempts would likely have the same result.

Moving forward, Zeref finally released a breath he had not realized he had been holding. “This is your fault!” Charle shouted at him as he moved. “You pushed her to do this, when she clearly wasn’t capable of the task. This…Mavis…she should not be alive. You should just give up on this already, all you are going to do is cause more people to suffer if you force them to try and fix your problems!”

“Hey!” Natsu shouted, grabbing the cat and lifting her into the air. “Don’t yell at him about that, alright? He already feels bad enough about everything that happens around him. Spriggan doesn’t need you making him feel any worse.” While it was expected, Zeref didn’t need Natsu’s defense this time. Words were not reaching him, at least, not emotionally right now.

“This was a mistake.” he admitted, though his voice was calm and calculating. There was almost no inflection to his tone, just a simple statement of fact. “Wendy is not powerful enough to heal Mavis, nor does it seem as if Mavis’ body will accept her magic. Gather your things, it appears as if this was all for nothing.”

“Are you leaving already, your majesty?” August questioned, coming closer to his emperor.

With a blank expression, Zeref nodded. “This place no longer feels like home, it seems. Being near Lumen Histoire is a sickening feeling, and I tire of failure. In your free time, I want you and the other members of my guard to look into her power. Find a way to free her, and contact me when you’ve discovered anything of value.” With that harsh order, Zeref stormed out of the room and left them staring after him in silence. The sudden change in his mood was harsh, but it was the only way Zeref knew to cope with pain. By distancing himself from the world, he could see countless tragedies and not feel an ounce of pain over them. Right now, he had to protect his heart, so he would not break again and turn towards the dark path and solace that death might offer him.


	39. The Problem with Healing

The trip back to Fiore was filled with tense silence. Zeref did not make an inclination to speak to his companions, and both of them seemed afraid of voicing anything to him. With the silent, almost angry-looking, black wizard, they attempted to avoid upsetting him any further as they traveled. With Wendy’s troia spell on Natsu, the dragon slayer didn’t even risk bothering him with complaints about motion sickness or their form of travel. 

It wasn’t as if Zeref wouldn’t accept conversation. He simply needed time to think of a new strategy. Being so close to freeing Mavis and then failing had been a shock of sorts to him. As such, he had attempted to hide behind the same shield he always used—indifference. Not caring worked wonders when he wished to avoid pain, so he did his best to convince himself that he did not care if they found success or not. In reality, it only delayed the onset of his suffering. Their time traveling was when it came back out, leaving him sitting with his mind filled with a haze of darkness for the entire ride. 

As such, conversation actually would have been welcome. Keeping his mind occupied would have allowed him to avoid darker thoughts. With the silence, it was unavoidable for him to consider just how much longer he had to wait, before death finally found him. His demons couldn’t accomplish the task, and he wasn’t going to risk the damage Nirvana could cause and return to that plan. In essence, if he wished to die, he would be starting over in his research to find a way to end this curse.

Their entire trip had taken about two weeks, including travel to and from the country. Even with his morbid thoughts, Zeref managed to restrain himself enough to avoid harming Wendy or Natsu on the way back. Luckily, suicidal thoughts were a sign of self-hatred, and did not result in the activation of his magic. Sometimes, it made him curious to know what would happen if he actually valued his own existence. Would his curse attempt to kill himself as a result, or would he find himself immune? Zeref would never know the answer, not when it was practically impossible for his mindset to change when it came to his view of himself.

The silent journey felt like it took longer than their path towards the Alvarez Empire, but Zeref did not mind. When he arrived back in Hargeon, he quickly moved through the streets with his companions to the train station. “Natsu, you should probably go your own way here. The rune knights will not tolerate an absence of this length, not when you have likely already aroused their suspicions before.”

He was heading towards Oshibana, glancing towards Wendy and Natsu. Both dragon slayers looked hesitant, though Natsu was the only one he had addressed. After a few moments, Natsu huffed and shook his head. “No way. You’ve got that depressed look back on your face, and I’m not leaving until it’s gone. I’m sticking with you until you’re back with—er, your friends.” He glanced towards Wendy, his expression realizing that the girl still didn’t know who Zeref was within the guilds here.

“I’m not leaving either.” Wendy stated confidently. “Maybe it didn’t work on my first try…but I know I’ll keep getting stronger. When my magic is more powerful, I want to be with you so I can try again. No one as kind as you deserves to suffer this much sadness.”

Running a hand through his hair, Zeref sighed and shook his head. Getting three tickets to Oshibana, he moved to get on the train. He had arrived last-second, so luckily there was no waiting time for the train today. “Healing isn’t the answer, Wendy. I’ve determined that much already….no, maybe that isn’t quite right. Perhaps it isn’t healing that is required, but something stronger…” Thinking about it, Mavis’ state was meant to be akin to death. If that was the case, he would have to look into his old specialty, living magic, to save her. With everything going on, it might take some time before he could do so, though.

Having a plan in mind allowed him to relax somewhat, his mood improving almost instantly. “Looks like you thought of something. Care to share what it is?” Natsu asked, while Zeref made a noncommittal noise. “Hey, don’t do that crap! You dragged us into this mess, and we’re seeing it through ’til the end. Now, I don’t care what kind of black magic you’re considering, I just wanna hear this idea of yours, got it?”

Wendy laughed nervously, waving her hands in front of her. “I wouldn’t go that far…I want to help, but I don’t think I would be comfortable if we have to hurt someone else to save her.” she insisted, while Charle seemed to nod in agreement with her partner.

“If you insist, though I will warn you, this is not the type of magic either of you should ever even look into learning. The dangers that come with it outweigh the benefits greatly.” he warned, making Natsu frown while Wendy’s eyes widened. “In fact, this is the magic that resulted in my curse in the first place. Since Mavis is technically dead at the moment…perhaps she is in need of resurrection, rather than healing.”

“What nonsense! That type of magic is impossible. No wizard on Earthland can bring back the dead.” Charle insisted, looking rather confident in her assessment.

Smiling darkly at her, Zeref leaned back in the seat he had taken as the train began to stop at the next station. Hargeon wasn’t far from a small city more inland, and a few people moved to leave. The next stop should be Oshibana, so Zeref settled in for the continued ride. “I know it is possible, because I have done so myself.” 

This left Charle stunned, while Wendy’s hands gripped the edge of her seat tightly. “Really? Why did you need me then? If you can do something like that…surely it would be easy for you to try healing magic too.” She looked a bit nervous towards the end, leaning back as she realized she might have been a bit offensive by assuming Zeref would have that kind of knowledge.

Shaking his head, Zeref turned towards the window once more. “Healing is a very different art than resurrection. Despite how similar they may seem, as your companion stated, one is far simpler to use and goes through different methods to be activated. While I haven’t studied the details of healing, from what I’ve learned, it works with the energy already inside of the body to accelerate the natural healing process. With a dead body, there is no energy to use, and therefore, it must be gathered from another source.”

He had said too much, but it didn’t look like she was going to ask for too many more details. “Oh, I guess that makes sense. Still, I don’t get how it caused your curse. I mean, doesn’t…that black magic, require energy too?” she questioned, sounding doubtful.

Closing his eyes, Zeref sighed. “Interfering with life and death alters the natural balance of the world. Regardless of if we’ve seen them or not…gods do exist that watch over us. I angered one with my actions, and they passed judgement on me with this curse.” She seemed to stare at him with a sad gaze at his words, trying to give him a small smile.

“Well, maybe one day you’ll make it up to them. After all, you sound like you’ve learned your lesson. Just now, you told us not to mess with that kind of magic, so don’t you think it shows how much you’ve changed?” she questioned, trying to help him improve his mood.

Unlike Wendy, Zeref could not have so much hope for himself. “If I had truly changed, I would not have considered it as an option to save Mavis. Regardless of who is wielding the magic, the end result is still the same. The balance is altered…and the gods remain angry for my actions.” The cycle was endless, just as the cycle between war and peace was. Some things were just unavoidable, and this was one of them.

Frowning, Natsu looked like he had another question to add, but was hesitant to do so. After a few moments, he gave in with a sigh. “Who pushed you to do that anyway?” It was a common question, from those that learned of what he had done anyway. Coming from Natsu, however, seemed to give it a strangely personal touch. This boy bore the same name as his brother, and as a result, now had more of his trust than anyone currently alive. 

His voice was soft and quiet when he spoke, almost inaudible. If it wasn’t for their heightened senses, Zeref doubted they would have caught his words. “My family, my brother.” With a deep breath, Zeref let his eyes shut as he tried to ignore what had happened back then. “I don’t wish to speak much more about them, though. That was a long time ago, and nothing truly changed by my actions. In the end, they are still dead, while I live on.”

Nodding, Natsu glanced away. “I get it. If something happened to Igneel…I’d probably want to do the same, if I thought I could.” He paused for a moment, before shaking his head. “That’s why it’s a good thing I don’t understand much about the technical side of magic, I guess. Power is all I’ve got, so even trying to think about what you did is just too much to wrap my head around.”

“You’ve got more than that, Natsu!” Wendy insisted, smiling at him. “I know you do. You are always helping to cheer Mister Spriggan up when he’s sad, and I can see how hard you work to protect your friends. With that, I know you can do so much more than just fight.”

It was an odd moment between the two dragon slayers, but Zeref found that he enjoyed observing it. Having them close to each other was beneficial in the long run. Understanding how they fought would allow them to work together in battle soon. When Acnologia returned, Wendy and Natsu would at least be capable of functioning as a team against the black dragon. 

Natsu smiled towards her, looking pleased with her comment. “Thanks, Wendy! Feel free to come find me if you ever need help. After all of this, we’re friends too, alright?” 

The blue haired wizard smiled in return, nodding happily. “Right!” she insisted, glancing back towards Zeref. “And August is our friend too. The three of us, we’ll work together. Even if I can’t do much, I promise that I’ll work hard and help look for a way to save Mavis.”

Turning away, Zeref did not give her a reply of his own. She, much like most of the world, didn’t even know who he was. In fact, she didn't even know of his status within Fairy Tail. He had ensured that his identity remained hidden, but now, it made her words feel empty despite the fact that she seemed sincere in her offer of friendship. 

The train continued on in silence for a little while longer. Noise from the other passengers filled the air, but Zeref and his companions didn’t speak further. Unlike the boat ride from Crestia to Hargeon, this silence was not filled with the tension from before. Zeref had relaxed, and for that, he was grateful to know he had people willing to help him that much at least.

When it stopped in Oshibana, night had fallen. It was late, and Zeref questioned if he truly should be bringing Natsu this far. The dragon slayer was working with Lahar, but oddly enough, Zeref found himself wanting Natsu to know where to find him. With all of the favors Natsu had done for him, Zeref felt like he owed the boy. Perhaps he truly was beginning to grow friendly towards the other wizard, but either way, Zeref kept moving, leading both of them through the darkened streets of Oshibana.

Glancing around, Natsu seemed to look a bit surprised. “Hey, isn’t this the place where we took down that wind barrier?” he questioned.

Nodding, Zeref turned down one of the side streets that led to the outskirts of town. “Indeed. Eisenwald has long since vanished from the city, though.” Turning towards Wendy, Zeref paused for a moment. “Wendy, keep in mind that following me at this point means that you cannot speak of what we are about to see. I have more secrets than the ones that lie in my past, and this is one of the ones that affect me as of right now.”

The sky dragon slayer frowned, glancing around them as the buildings became more scarce. “Alright…” she sounded a bit uncertain, but after staring at Zeref she seemed to smile and nod. “I trust you. This place just creeps me out…” she murmured.

“That is the purpose, I imagine. It scares away unwanted visitors, at least, that was the intention with the old owners of this place.” he commented, glancing towards her. “Now, it is simply still in place, marking the path towards the guild hall.”

“Guild?” Charle questioned, blinking at him. “I thought you were a dark wizard. How could you possible be a part of a—oh no. Wendy, you mustn’t follow him. I think he’s taking us to the home of a dark guild.”

Smiling, Zeref chuckled under his breath. Wendy looked surprised, her eyes wide as she held Charle against her chest. “You are correct. Though, we haven’t been a dark guild for long. Perhaps you’ve heard of Fairy Tail before?” he questioned, watching as Wendy slowly smiled at him.

“Of course! I was a member of Cait Shelter, but even we’ve heard of them.” Zeref caught her use of past tense, wondering what had happened. “They told me that Fairy Tail would take care of me…” Wendy looked distant and sad, unshed tears in her eyes. “That was before I learned the truth. My guild never really existed…it was just an illusion of spirits that wanted to help me. I came on this mission, hoping to meet someone from Fairy Tail and find a way into the guild…but then I learned that Fairy Tail was a dark guild, and I didn’t know what to do. Either way, it looks like I got my wish, huh?”

She was smiling at the end, glancing towards Zeref with an innocence that he wished he could help preserve. She didn’t belong in his guild, not with how bright she was. “Yes…but you may be better off elsewhere. Fairy Tail is a dark guild, and while you may get along with our members…the missions are likely not suited for your skill set.” The girl looked a bit crestfallen, making Zeref hesitate and sigh. “However, if you truly wish for it…I suppose I could allow you to become a member. Keep in mind, that will require you to keep everything about our guild, even our names, a secret from the public.”

Wendy nodded, looking excited as she rushed over and grabbed his hand. “Really? You think you can talk the master into letting me join?” she stated.

Rolling his eyes, Natsu smirked at her and ruffled her hair. “Of course he can. He is the master, haven’t you figured that out?” Natsu questioned.

Once again, Wendy gasped, staring at Zeref with wide eyes. “Natsu is correct. So, I’ve warned you about the nature of our guild, but after your attempts to save Mavis…I think you have earned the right to choose where you belong.” he commented, glancing towards her. 

With a smile, Wendy pulled back, remembering his curse finally. His magic was quiet over the last week, but that didn’t mean there weren’t risks still. “I want to be a member of Fairy Tail. I don’t care if you’re a dark guild, I’ve seen how those wizards act around each other. Even if they end up destroying things or failing their missions, they are always smiling and enjoying their time together. That’s the kind of guild I want to be a part of…one that feels like family.”

Unsure of when Wendy had actually found the time to observe Fairy Tail wizards working, he didn’t know who gave her that impression so strongly. In a way, it didn’t matter though. That was the very premise Mavis had in mind when she founded her guild, and as such, he would welcome Wendy with open arms. 

Smiling towards her, Zeref stopped for a moment on the path. Buildings were no longer visible around them. Instead, they were walking along a dirt road, with a forest of dead trees lining both sides of the path. The branches twisted and arched over their heads, an ominous feeling, but the moment was far brighter than their surroundings. “Very well. Then I welcome you to Fairy Tail, Wendy. Let’s go introduce you to the others.”

With a smile, she nodded and hurried off after him. “Oh, and Wendy?” he commented, glancing towards her. “As a part of our guild, I suppose it is only fitting that you learn of our darkest secret.” The girl blinked in surprise, looking hesitant as Zeref’s smile deepened. “My name. Quite simply, I am a wizard feared by all, and searched for by many, despite the common belief that I died long ago. You see, I am the Black Wizard, Zeref, and for the past century, I’ve devoted my time to serving Fairy Tail and leading it to the place it needs to be. I’ve shown them to be strong, now, it is your turn to help show them to be gentle as well. I think it would be quite an asset, to understand such a thing, don’t you?”

The girl looked stunned, while Natsu smirked at her and crossed his arms over his chest. “Hey, don’t worry about it. Zeref’s not any different than before just because you know his name. Besides, Fairy Tail is a lot of fun from what I’ve heard. There’s an old friend of mine in there, even though I’m still kind of mad at her for taking Happy away again.”

Chuckling, Zeref shook his head and continued walking. Wendy was joining the guild, and Natsu seemed to be on his way to doing so as well. Even if it wasn’t official, Zeref planned on treating the dragon slayer as a part of the family anyway. After all, it was only fitting to treat the boy bearing his brother’s name as if he truly were his brother in reality too.


	40. Trapped

Sniffing the air, Natsu paused as the guild hall came into their line of sight. “Wait a second…this smell…” he trailed off, glancing around with a frown. Unsure of what the dragon slayer was sensing, Zeref took a step forward and gave him some space to investigate the area. However, that was the wrong move to make. Stepping forward placed him closer to the guild hall, and brought him just over a rune scratched into the dirt on the ground. A flash of light blinded him, making him stumble back as Natsu and Wendy stood on the other side of the spell.

“Zeref!” Natsu shouted, jumping right back up to his feet after falling from the force of the spell. The light seemed to be bright purple in color, and it was spreading quickly. A wall-like structure shot up from the ground, circling around the guild hall as the light passed along runes written around the entire area. Someone had established this trap a long time ago, but Zeref did not know who would do such a thing. This was magic like Freed’s, but one of the thunder legion had no reason to imprison Fairy Tail wizards.

“I knew it!” Charle shouted, jumping out from Wendy’s grip. “You were trying to trap Wendy here all along. Well, I’ve had enough of your despicable lies. I’m taking Wendy, and we’re both leaving right now.” With that, she flew onto the dragon slayer’s back, and began flying off into the sky.

“Wait! Let me go!” Wendy shouted, struggling in the cat’s grip. Unfortunately, doing anything too drastic would make her fall to the ground from quite a height, and she slowly seemed to settle in for the ride. Watching her leave, Zeref felt a small amount of relief. She didn’t have the guild mark yet, so Wendy could at least remain free from the mess occurring with his guild right now.

Turning towards Natsu, Zeref approached the barrier hesitantly. “This magic takes time to establish. Someone already knew of our location and was waiting for me to return…” Zeref stated softly, glancing towards the boy. “I would advise you to join Wendy in getting away from this place, but I have a feeling that you would simply ignore me regardless of my advice.”

The dragon slayer smirked, looking excited as he faced the black wizard. “You’re damn right I’d ignore you. We’re facing this together, and then we’re getting Wendy back.” he insisted.

He wanted to point out that Wendy actually wasn’t being harmed, but it was rather pointless at the moment. Instead, Zeref turned his focus to the spell activating around his guild. Crouching on the ground, he attempted to study the runes now hidden within the wall of light. As the spell seemed to grow closer to completion, the light was fading, but Zeref could still sense the magic in the air. This was powerful work, embedded with energy for quite some time along with the runes keeping it in place. While it was set up as a trap, only activating once someone entered, the actual spell itself was impressive as well. Anyone bearing the mark of Fairy Tail would be incapable of leaving or using magic while within the barrier, though entry was granted.

Glancing up towards Natsu, Zeref let his hand rest on the ground. “It is safe to enter, if you wish. The barrier will only affect those within the guild, according to these runes.” he explained, rising to his feet. From what he could tell, this would be a job for Levy to handle. Rewriting spells of this nature was her specialty, but the dilemma would come with getting her to a point where she could use magic. So long as the barrier was in place, Levy would be incapable of even attempting to rewrite it. 

Natsu stepped inside, frowning as he glanced around. The dragon slayer sniffed the air again, scowling in irritation. “He’s around here somewhere.” he commented, examining the castle-like structure that housed Fairy Tail. It was somewhat ominous to see, with the deadened trees and landscape around it. 

Turning towards the fire wizard, Zeref raised an eyebrow. “Ah, that is why you stopped us before. Who is here?” It was a simple question, but Natsu didn’t get the chance to answer. At that moment, the doors of the guild opened and wizards came rushing out. Levy, Mira, Loke, Alzac, Bisca, and so many others were coming to investigate the barrier that was now erected around the guild. Touching the barrier, Makarov stood in front of them all with a grave look on his face.

“No…this is Freed’s specialty…did he betray us?” Makarov’s question hung before them in the air, while Mira shook her head.

Lifting her hand slightly, Mira’s blue eyes seemed just as worried as everyone else’s were. “Actually, Freed left with Laxus on a job recently…it was supposed to be a ways away, too. I don’t think they could have gotten back in time to do anything like this.” she commented.

Looking troubled, Loke pushed his glasses further up onto his face. “It also isn’t like him to do something like this. Freed does whatever Laxus says, and I don’t think Laxus would go so far as to trap us like this.” 

Nodding in agreement, Levy looked grim. “Also, if you read the writing here, it definitely isn’t Freed’s work. This spell traps anyone with Fairy Tail’s guild mark, meaning it would have trapped him as well. Someone else is doing this…someone with magic just like Freed’s.” she declared.

Staring at them, Zeref ran a hand through his hair as he tried to think of what could be done from within the barrier. Currently, Natsu was the only one with magic. Maybe he could be taught to rewrite the enchantment, but that would take quite a bit of time. However, it was the only option they had at the moment if they wanted to leave. “This is quite the predicament, I see. I wonder what pushed them to go to such lengths…regardless, our first priority should be escaping once more. Our guild hall is not safe, and we must relocate again.” Zeref declared.

Macao put a hand on Romeo’s shoulder as the child’s head fell forward. Wakaba frowned, glancing away as he puffed out a breath of smoke from his pipe. Alzack stepped closer to Bisca, watching as the green haired girl hugged herself tightly. “How?” Alzack demanded. “We have no magic, and we have no path outside of this barrier. Even you are not immune to spells such as this.”

It wasn’t quite the greeting he was used to when returning to the guild, but circumstances made it necessary. “There is someone here who does not bear our guild mark.” Zeref stated, his gaze sliding over towards Natsu. The dragon slayer blinked, feeling the gazes of everyone fall onto the stranger amidst the group. “This is Natsu, a…friend of mine that I encountered just before we left Magnolia. For now, he is our only chance. Levy, do you think you can decipher this magic and come to a solution on what would need to be done to rewrite the enchantment?”

The bluenette nodded, looking determined as she stepped forward. “Yes, I’ll do it. Still…without magic, I can’t actually rewrite the spell…” she muttered, glancing between them.

“Teach Natsu. It will not be a simple task, however, we have limited options at the moment.” Zeref insisted, while the dragon slayer blinked over at him in surprise.

“Huh? Teach me?” he questioned, before shaking his head. “Sounds interesting. Come on, Levy, I’m getting fired up!” he insisted, jumping over towards the barrier. 

Sighing, Zeref shook his head. “Natsu, she must figure out how to rework the spell first.” he corrected, making the dragon slayer pout slightly. “While she does that, tell me, just who is here that we should be looking for?” 

Nodding, Natsu took another deep breath and scanned the landscape for more people. “I can’t see ‘em, but I definitely can smell both of them. Lahar was the first one I noticed…but actually, Doranbolt’s scent is stronger now that I’m closer to the guild.” he commented.

It was what he had thought it would be. “Lahar? The rune knights are responsible for this?” Makarov demanded, glancing at the barrier. “I did not think they would find us so quickly…after all of our work to protect these children from harm…”

Glancing towards the old man, Zeref felt himself smile ever so slightly. “We will move forward, just as you once told me to do. Regardless of the outcome of today, Fairy Tail will find a way to live on.” The old man blinked in surprise, before nodding in agreement, gravely staring out at the gathered wizards.

As Levy began to work, Zeref’s smile slowly began to fade. Something felt strange to him, a slight pressure at the edge os his mind. Typically, this was a sign of someone trying to intrude upon his thoughts. As a wizard sought after by many, Zeref always ensured that he had magical wards blocking manipulation of his thoughts and emotions. It appeared as if they remained intact, though as soon as the magic of those spells wore off, he would be vulnerable once more. Someone within this barrier was attempting to enter his mind, and that made him wary and alert.

“Go, Levy, go! Go, Levy, go!” Jet and Droy stood behind the third member of their team, cheering her on as she worked. Scanning the wizards before him, Zeref was struggling to find the source of the strange pressure at the edges of his mind.

Noticing his gaze, Cana stepped forward with a hand on her hip. “What’s up, Master? Don’t tell me you’re secretly just as much of a pervert as the other men here. It’d be a shame for you to become so boring on us like that.” Ignoring her, Zeref continued searching. If rune knights were here, it was likely because of a leak of information. Natsu had not revealed enough for them to track down Fairy Tail to this point, so the culprit should be the telepath. Whoever wished to alter Zeref’s thoughts had infiltrated the guild, by altering the minds of every wizard in the guild.

“You guys don’t really think this will work, do you?” This came from an unfamiliar voice, quiet but standing on the edge of the crowd. Narrowing his gaze on the man, Zeref watched him continue speaking. “The rune knights are already here, we don’t have time to try and play around with teaching someone else magic.”

“Yeah?” Bisca commented, stepping forward. “Do you have a better idea? The way I see it, there’s not another option. It’s not like I can pull out my guns and start sniping them out. You’re just as powerless as the rest of us, Mest.”

Walking through the crowd, Zeref approached the wizard speaking with Bisca. Natsu was too engrossed in working with Levy to notice, while the others were still busy whispering about their odds of making it out of this trap. “Mest, you say? Somehow, I find it hard to believe that it is truly your name.” Zeref mused quietly.

The man turned around, giving him a smile as sweat seemed to bead on his face. “Ah…well, you just haven’t seen me around much. I’m normally a bit quiet around the guild, sorry if I haven’t really said much to you. It’s good to have you back…” It was quite obvious how nervous this man was, but Zeref let it pass for now. If this man wanted to play mind games with them, then he was perfectly capable of doing the same in return.

“I suppose that could make sense.” Zeref murmured, glancing towards Bisca. “As for your plan, do you have any of your guns within the guild? I know you typically use requip magic to store them away, however, even normal gunshots could prove useful if we find ourselves in battle.”

Blinking, she frowned and considered it for a moment. “I…I don’t know, I’d have to check. I’ll go grab Alzack and we can both look. Maybe we do have a fighting chance if they come.” With that, she grinned and turned to leave. 

Now alone with Mest, Zeref folded his hands behind his back and turned towards the man. “So, do you not wish for us to attempt to break this barrier?” It was a valid question, considering his earlier argument.

Rubbing the back of his head, Mest laughed nervously. “Ah, yeah…well, it just seems pointless. I mean, even if that kid has magic, he doesn’t have a clue about how this spell works.” 

Smiling, Zeref glanced back towards Natsu. “Yes, however, you don’t even have the slightest idea of his potential. Dragon slayers will always find a way to surprise you, Mest, that is something I’ve learned quite well.” Thinking further about Natsu’s situation with the rune knights, Zeref decided to add a little bit more to his comments. “Gaining his aid was not simple, either.” With that, he hoped the rune knight by his side would assume that Natsu was being coerced into aiding Fairy Tail.

It did make Mest pause, frowning as he glanced towards Zeref. “Just…what did you do to him, anyway?” 

Smiling darkly, Zeref chuckled under his breath. “I would rather not divulge the details…but let’s just say he has seen enough of my power to know that I am to be feared.” That would finish the deal, Zeref decided. While it may contradict Natsu’s own story, his words would leave the rune knights believing that the dragon slayer did not wish to help the guild at all. Anytime Natsu insisted they were friends, the rune knights would assume Zeref had forced the boy to say so.

The telepath took a slight step away from him, looking somewhat intimidated himself. “You…how could you? We may be a dark guild…” Mest trailed off, his hands clenched into fists by his sides. “But it doesn’t excuse terrorizing the public! Fairy Tail is a place for people to make friends…a guild that…” This was interesting to hear. The man trailed off, and his expression was conflicted. The pressure attacking his mind had vanished along with it, leaving Zeref realizing that this rune knight was beginning to see just what Fairy Tail was truly about.

Leaning close to Mest, Zeref whispered into the man’s ear. “Yes, it is. For that reason, we will destroy you completely. Our family will not be torn apart, and if you threaten my guild again, I will find a way to utterly destroy you.” His voice was dark and ominous, the words of a promise, not a simple threat.

This time, Mest stumbled back and tripped, falling onto his back on the ground. Zeref stood over him, giving him a dark grin as he tilted his head slightly. He was back in his usual robe and sash, and the wind was blowing the sash out behind him, fanning it within the wind. “Make your next move carefully, Mest, for we are not done yet. Even should you succeed here today, we will find a way to break free and return to our home.”


	41. A Salute to Family

The telepath didn’t seem to know what to say in response. Zeref was waiting patiently for him to do something, but Mest remained on the ground, staring at Zeref with wide eyes. “How—I don’t understand. You don’t have magic, so how are you still…?” Mest trailed off, uncertain of where to go.

“The wards I place upon myself remain, even if I currently am unable to use magic.” Zeref explained, allowing him that much of an answer. “As such, your attempts to meddle with my thoughts only alerted me to your presence.” With that, Mest sighed, sitting up and leaning forward. 

“Damn it. I guess we don’t have another option then.” he commented, shaking his head. Zeref wondered what it meant, but he didn’t have much time to react. In an instant, his body was surrounded by a sphere of water, trapping him in an aquatic prison along with the barrier. 

Stepping out from within the trees, a woman came to stand by Mest’s side. The Fairy Tail wizards turned towards the commotion, gasping when they saw their master trapped in a spell of some form. Natsu rose to his feet, crossing his arms over his chest as he spotted Mest in front of Zeref. However, Zeref’s focus was on the new wizard arriving, and the companion that seemed to follow after her.

The girl had short blue hair, curled at the end and covered with a hat. A long blue coat covered most of her clothing, while she frowned over at Zeref. Rain began to fall on the ground, though Zeref did not find an issue with it as he was already soaked with this spell. “Drip drip drop,” the girl began, stopping when she stood before Zeref. “Juvia is the rain woman of Phantom Lord. This rain is the signal of your demise, wizards of Fairy Tail.”

“You said it, Juvia.” the other man stated by her side. This one had long black hair and towered over most of the wizard here with his height. Metal piercings dotted his face around his nose, and his long shirt was sleeveless, revealing muscular arms. “These fairies won’t know what hit ‘em, gihi!”

Sighing, Mest rose to his feet. As uncomfortable as he was at the moment, Zeref actually found that he was not surprised by this. It was only logical to fight them with magic, while they were powerless to defend themselves. Moisture soaked into his robes and into his skin, while his locket seemed to float in the water and rise into his line of sight. “Calm down, Gajeel. We aren’t here to destroy them, I told you before, this mission is simply to finalize their arrest.”

That seemed to make the man scowl, scoffing at Mest’s comment. However, there were other reactions to their presence. Natsu stepped forward, glaring at the newcomers as flames danced around his fists. “Oi, you better let him go.” Natsu grinned at Gajeel, looking deadly and eager for battle. “After all, you may be capable of destroying fairies, but you don’t have the slightest idea on how to handle a dragon.”

This seemed to amuse Gajeel, who chuckled as he nodded towards Juvia. Frowning, the woman released her spell around Zeref. He fell to the ground, coughing slightly as he began to recover his oxygen. Maybe he didn’t need to breath to survive, but it surely was uncomfortable to drown. It wasn’t the first time he had attempted to drown as a method of ending his life, and he was certain it wouldn’t be the last of his discomforts in his efforts to end his existence.

Leaning forward, Gajeel looked eager for the fight as Mest shook his head and pressed his hand to his forehead. “Oh, I doubt that. You wanna fight pipsqueak? Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. You’re looking at the iron dragon slayer of Phantom Lord, the unstoppable wizard that can defeat any enemy that comes our way.” he insisted.

Blinking, Zeref turned his gaze up towards the man. “Dragon slayer?” he questioned, but there was no reason to doubt the man. Perhaps he did have something to use to get out of this, then, though it would be a gamble. First, he would see if Natsu could defeat him, though. That would be the best option, one that didn’t avoid endangering his plans for stopping Acnologia. From what he had seen, the best way to shock a dragon slayer was to talk about their dragons, though.

Glancing towards Natsu, Zeref touched the boy’s arm to at least give him a warning. Water dripped from his hand and onto Natsu’s skin, but the drops fizzled out when the contacted the fire blazing near his hand. “Be careful, Natsu. It is likely that he is telling the truth…based on what I recall, there should be a total of five dragon slayers at the moment, not considering those similar to Laxus in power.” he warned. For now, Natsu was his best chance, but some things had to be revealed to ensure that he didn’t underestimate his opponent.

Snorting, Natsu pulled his arm free and stepped forward. “Who cares what kind of magic he uses? I’ll show him which of us is the stronger dragon slayer, after all, the challenge only makes this that much more interesting.” Smirking, flames danced along the ground now, surrounding his body.

Staring at Natsu, Mest rose to his feet and gave him a sad look. “Natsu, you don’t have to do this. He can’t hurt you in here, we’ve taken away his magic.” It was an expected warning, considering what Zeref had told him, but it still confused the dragon slayer who was preparing for a fight.

“Shut up! I told Lahar, and now I’ll tell you. This guy’s my friend, and I’m not—“ 

“No, you listen!” Mest shouted, glaring at the boy. “He told me what he did, that he…used his magic to make you follow his orders. We can protect you, Natsu, you just have to trust us.”

Staring between both of them, Zeref closed his eyes and focused on playing the role he had chosen for this battle. His expression turned into a dark scowl, his black eyes flashing open as he glared between them. “Betray me if you wish, it matters little in the end. After all, I highly doubt this barrier of yours could truly contain my magic.”

With that, he hoped Natsu would get the hint. The boy had the chance to save himself, to not be arrested with the guild. It was the least he could offer right now, and the best option for them in the long-run. The dragon slayer eyed him carefully, narrowing his gaze as he took deep breaths. The fire around his hands seemed to remain constant as he tried to determine what Zeref wanted him to do. If it wasn’t for the barrier, Zeref would have telepathically told him what to do. 

Slowly, the flames began to fade away and he nodded. “Just this once. Don’t expect me to back down again, though.” Turning back towards him, Natsu scowled deeply. “After all, I’ve still gotta get stronger. Someday, I’ve gotta beat that old man you introduced me to.” 

Normally, Zeref would have smiled in relief at his words. However, he had to continue playing the role of the villain for now. As a result, he stood calmly before Mest, watching the rune knight come closer. Gajeel huffed and stepped back when he realized he wasn’t going to get to fight, while Juvia seemed to watch silently by his side.

From within the forest, more rune knights began to emerge. Their familiar white robes skimmed across the desolate land, approaching Zeref and his guild slowly. Fairy Tail wizards came closer to Zeref, trying to stay away from the rune knights. They turned towards the massive group circling them, a few looking ready to fight as the knights surrounded them. Stepping forward from the crowd, another familiar face emerged. Lahar stepped forward, joining Doranbolt, Gajeel, and Juvia.

“I’m sorry I’m late.” Lahar pushed his glasses further up his face as he stepped closer to Zeref. Glaring at the man, Zeref quickly jumped aside, trying to avoid any potential attacks. However, the result was placing him closer to Gajeel. The iron dragon slayer grinned, slamming a fist into his back and sending him stumbling forward. This area was too crowded, and it was impossible to react properly for a fight. “Zeref, the guild leader of Fairy Tail, you are hereby under arrest for countless crimes of murder, black magic, and theft. You will be brought to Era and held for questioning by the magic council themselves.”

That was the thing that left him shocked. Someone had told them of his true identity. Perhaps that was why his words had been so believable to Mest, who watched Lahar in silence. Zeref felt cuffs wrap around his wrist. The moment they touched his skin, he felt a drain in his energy and a dulling of his senses. These cuffs were designed to seal off his magic, and as a result, they cut off his ability to sense it as well. Staring at them, Zeref wondered if they would actually work, though. His curse could break through immortality itself and activate, so it would not surprise him to see it activate even with something trying to block his power from doing anything.

The other rune knights closed in, grabbing Fairy Tail wizards and pulling them into custody. He had known this would happen one day, but Zeref had always thought they would find a way out of it. Glancing around at those surrounding him, Zeref’s gaze locked on Gajeel and Juvia. She had claimed to be a part of Phantom Lord…Jose’s guild. That was where the leak was, the reason they knew who he was.

Realizing that, Zeref’s eyes seemed to flash red, anger coursing through him. Magic might not activate right now, but that did not mean his curse wasn’t still in existence. Those eyes were sign of his rage, a sign that he was on the verge of gaining complete control over his magic. “You did this…Phantom Lord will not be able to hide you forever, Jose. Much like your ancestor, you will fall before our might and learn the power we possess.”

Hearing the threat, Lahar stiffened as he held the man. “Threats are useless. I told you before, your guild would be forced to disband soon. It is a shame you had to drag them so far into darkness, otherwise, we may have been able to spare them from the same fate you now face.” 

Chuckling, Zeref shook his head. “They are not the darkness in this world. No, if you truly consider the last few years…Fairy Tail is what keeps me on a lighter path. Do you truly wish to steer me away from that? Even I cannot say what I will do, should I lose my guiding light. Perhaps another war will begin…or perhaps I will do nothing…either way, are you willing to take that risk?” 

The fear in his gaze made Zeref pleased. He still could manage to terrify these rune knights, even without his magic. That was the power behind his name, behind the legacy he had created. Sometimes, he hated it, but right now, it gave him the power to stun these rune knights into silence.

Glancing around, however, he realized that the rune knights weren’t the only ones looking worried due to his words. Makarov watched him with wide eyes, his muscles tense as he focused on their master. Mira seemed to be avoiding his gaze, looking troubled as she was held in the grasp of another rune knight. By her side, Elfman and Lisanna seemed to be staring at Zeref with sadness in their eyes. To them, this was the loss of the master they had all come to know. Zeref’s true nature was breaking free, and the front he had presented to the guild was fading away as he attempted to regain their freedom.

The only one that seemed to be strengthened by his words was Erza, standing tall despite the fact that she was waiting as a rune knight began drawing out a teleportation circle around their group. “Do not fear, wizards of Fairy Tail. We are still together, and that is something even they cannot take from us. Regardless of how far away we are from each other, or where our paths may take us, we will still be family.” Erza paused for a moment, seeing the light entering the gazes of Fairy Tail wizards. “No matter what they do to us, no matter how hard they try to break us, we will not falter. We are Fairy Tail, and we will always be watching each other, even if we cannot see where our family resides.”

Those words reminded Zeref of the Fantasia Parade, long ago. Makarov had said something quite similar to Laxus back then, to cheer the boy up. Now, it had become a message that their guild followed with a passion. Slowly, every member of the guild managed to free a single hand from their captors. Erza’s hand shot up first, the Fairy Tail salute being seen high in the air. The rune knights simply looked lost as to what was going on, but other wizards slowly joined in. Even Romeo’s tiny hand was in the air, smiling proudly as he joined in the moment.

Turning away from them and closing his eyes, Zeref smiled. When his gaze opened once more, his eyes had returned to their black color as he realized there really was no one to blame for this event. Capture was inevitable, but Fairy Tail was still alive. As the final member of the guild not joining in the salute, Zeref slowly began to change that. Even with his hands cuffed together, he managed to raise both of them into the air. Both hands formed the salute, as his head dropped down to his chest. Lahar’s grip tightened around his waist, but at the moment, Zeref didn’t mind. He was looking out for this guild, and with them, it felt like he was back with Mavis for just a single moment as he felt the connection to the meaning of this salute. Even if she was gone and out of his sight, he would always be looking out for her and her family.


	42. Questionable Motives

Within Era, Lahar walked down the halls, busier than ever before. An entire guild’s worth of wizards were now being held in the cells downstairs. Every rune knight available had been called in to help with the interrogations, while the majority of their efforts were placed on containing the greatest threat they had found in a long time.

Even if it was simply speculation, the Council placed high-level security around Zeref at all times. The first layer of security had been the cuffs, designed out of a magic-canceling material that inhibited the body’s ability to absorb ethernano. With those on, Zeref would be incapable of using magic. The next layer was the cell itself that he had been brought to. Those were enchanted with runes designed by a wizard with anti-wizard magic. Not only did the material cancel out spells, but the enchantments prevented those spells from activating in the first place. 

As if that wasn’t enough, the Council sent guards to stand on duty by the cell at all times. It wouldn’t have seemed to extreme if they only used the rune knights for protection, but they had taken it a step further. The wizard saints were getting involved. At all times, at least one wizard saint was posted to guard the black wizard. The only wizards volunteering for that role were Warrod and God Serena, but they were always somewhat odd. Lahar had written Warrod’s eagerness off as the man’s former connection to the guild. He was simply being sentimental in his old age. As for God Serena, it was likely an interest in the black wizard’s powers, though he didn’t know much about that wizard to be sure.

From what he had heard, Doranbolt had returned as well and was helping with the extra work. More guards were posted around Era than usual due to all of the held criminals, which made Lahar a bit uneasy as he walked down the halls. Natsu had been allowed to remain free. After speaking with Doranbolt after the arrest, he learned that apparently, Zeref had threatened to use his magic against Natsu if the dragon slayer did not help him. Based on what little he knew of the black wizard’s magic, there was no doubt in his mind that Natsu stood no chance of survival against him. That coercion was dark and showed just why it was necessary for Zeref to be imprisoned, but Lahar couldn’t help but doubt that story. Something just didn’t fit, not with the way Natsu had been acting about the other wizard.

The dragon slayer was somewhere around Era too. The Council wanted him to be available to use against Zeref if need be. Lahar didn’t understand why they thought the black wizard cared for the dragon slayer, but he wasn’t going to argue against his superiors about his presence. Right now, they needed as much help as they could get, especially with the way the interrogations were going.

Walking into a room, Lahar sighed and set down a handful of papers on their current case. The room was small, with only the single door and no windows visible from within. Stone walls surrounded them in a square, with a single table resting in the middle. Across from Lahar on the other side of the table was a man, with dark black hair and a scowl on his face. According to his notes, this was Gray Fullbuster, and he had more reason than anyone to hate Zeref. Based on the research he had done, Gray’s entire family had been killed by a demon long ago, leaving the boy alone and without anyone to care for him.

Taking a seat across from him, Lahar had a decent idea of how this would go. He had already attempted to question Mirajane Strauss and Erza Scarlet before coming to this session. Thus far, he had no answers, to say the least. “Let’s just get this over with, alright? We’re under arrest, so don’t even bother with the nice guy act.” Gray seemed irritated as he leaned back in his seat, before Lahar even had the chance to speak.

Leaning forward on the table, Lahar folded his hands on the surface before him. “Oh, I assure you, I did not intend to use any foolish trickery against you. Such mind games are the work of your master, not myself.” The other wizard didn’t seem to reply. He remained seated, with his arms crossed over his chest. Lahar frowned at the sight, wondering just how he had managed to get his shirt off when his hands were cuffed together, but decided it wasn’t worth questioning at the moment. “Speaking of which, just what do you have to say about this master of yours? From what we’ve gathered thus far, your entire guild was being led by the Black Wizard Zeref. Is this true?”

The wizard rolled his eyes, looking rather relaxed considering the situation. “Like I have anything to tell you. Our master does things the way he wants to do them, we don’t question his orders. Honestly, without him, we’d have fallen apart a long time ago. Don’t go tearing him down, because he’s the best one of all of us.” 

There was a bit of passion in Gray’s voice that made Lahar pause. “Did you not realize the truth?” It didn’t surprise Lahar that he did not get a response. He continued pushing, however, still needing to hear something about this. “After all, you have plenty of reasons to dislike Zeref. Based on the information I’ve gathered…one of his demons destroyed your entire family. Do you have anything you’d like to say about that?” This time, he did see a controlled reaction. Gray’s hands clenched into fists, his jaw clenching as he attempted to remain still in his seat.

“That was Deliora, not our guild master. It doesn’t matter how you try and twist my past, or what we know, you’ll never get us to turn on him.” The boy’s eyes looked distant, glancing away from Lahar for a moment. “I had nothing, back then. Fairy Tail changed everything for me. Master was not usual, I’ll admit that, but he wasn’t cruel. I begged them to teach me to get stronger, so I could find a way to free my former master. Other wizards told me to forget about it, that it was impossible, but he didn’t do the same. Maybe Deliora killed my family, but Fairy Tail isn’t Deliora. Fairy Tail gave me hope, and its master gave me everything I asked for. He offered to help me with my goals, and gave me books to look into ice magic so I could learn the truth behind what happened to Ur.”

It was far more than he had gotten from anyone else, but it wasn’t anything useful. Pushing aside his notes, Lahar shook his head and sighed. His hands pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to calm himself and think of where to go from here. “You do realize,” Lahar began, with his eyes closed for a moment. “if we continue with the knowledge we possess, it is likely that your master will be facing execution. The Council will not sit back and let the Black Wizard from four hundred years ago continue to live on.”

The black haired wizard turned away, scowling. “Let them try, it’s not my business what the Council decides. All I’m saying is that we’re not telling you anything. Fairy Tail doesn’t sell each other out. We protect our family, that’s what I’ve learned from being a part of that guild.” After that, his expression was stormy and unreadable. Lahar could see that he wouldn’t get anything more out of the boy, making him sigh and rise to his feet once more.

This was how the majority of the interrogations had gone. Most members of the Council wanted someone to confirm the identity of the Black Wizard, but Fairy Tail was being less than cooperative. As Lahar dismissed Gray, he considered the other options left for interrogations. The entire system was designed for efficiency, and with the number of rune knights present in Era, they were making quick work of the guild’s members. As it stood, the only way they were going to get a true answer would be to interrogate the Master himself. No one wanted to have that job, however. Everyone was too afraid of the rumors they had heard, worrying that they would be killed by Zeref if they discovered his secrets.

Just as Gray was about to leave, however, Lahar got a better idea in mind. They may not speak about Zeref, but there was other information he might be able to gain from them. “Wait, I have more.” he stated. The guard that had been about to lead Gray away nodded, placing the boy back in the chair. “Rumors have placed Fairy Tail in Clover during the time of the Lullaby incident. Is it true that your guild attempted to stop the demon’s attack?” This was another unverified rumor, one that Lahar determined could be used to help the guild receive a lesser sentence. While he may wish to punish Zeref, those following him did not deserve to suffer quite so much for following his deceptive actions.

Raising an eyebrow, Gray shrugged. “Dunno. You’re asking the wrong guy. From what I heard, the girls were the ones involved in that mess, along with our master.” He didn’t seem too worried about revealing that, which gave Lahar the hint that he was on to something with this line of questioning.

“So you weren’t present, but you can verify that your guild was involved in some form?” 

Nodding, Gray sighed. “Sure, but I don’t get it. Why do you even care about what we did in Clover? I thought you were out to lock us away forever simply for not following your rules and naming another guild master.” 

This was where Lahar’s own emotions were beginning to cloud his judgment. Technically, he should be thinking somewhat like Gray described. These wizards were criminals, and it was his job to punish them for the name of his country. However, Doranbolt’s stories of the guild and Natsu’s reaction to meeting them left Lahar questioning just what he was supposed to be doing with them. In a way, he wished to spare as many as he could, but he could not let his superiors discover what he was doing.

Instead, Lahar focused his gaze on Gray with a serious expression on his face. “It is the only redeeming event I’ve come across in our investigation. Simply put, it doesn’t fit with the rest of the traits we’ve assigned to your guild.” Turning through the files, Lahar frowned once more. “If you would provide me with the names of those I should question about Clover, it would be much appreciated.”

This appeared to be too much to ask for, based on the downturn of Gray’s mouth. “Names? Damn, what’s with you people and names?” The wizard sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “You know what? Fine, it’s not like these will change much of anything. Levy, Mira, Cana, and Lisanna. They were the ones involved, but I bet Master could give you a better idea of what went down than any of them could give you.”

The hidden threat was not missed, but Lahar ignored it and moved on. “Thank you for your cooperation. Moving on, what is Fairy Tail hiding?” It seemed quite straightforward, but Lahar realized a moment too late that he had been far too vague.

Blinking, Gray frowned at him. “Hiding? Sorry, but I don’t really know what you’re talking about.” The ice wizard’s legs seemed to stretch out under the table, bumping against Lahar’s own feet. The rune knight captain glanced at Gray in response, and the other wizard pulled his feet back quickly and turned his gaze away.

“Your basement.” Lahar prompted. “We searched it, and discovered a rather…odd room. An informant insists that it was the true resting place of your first master, though the only thing we could be certain of is that it was the holding place of a lacrima of some form.”

Something seemed to click in the ice wizard’s eyes. His arms tightened slightly, the muscles on his shoulders twitching as he attempted to hide any motion. “Basement? Man, don’t know what made you think our guild even had such a thing. Last I knew, it was simply the main floor used by most of our wizards, and the second floor for our S-class wizards. At least, that’s how it was before…well, you already know about that much.” He smirked, but Lahar could see the tension in his expression.

Leaning forward, Lahar smiled in return. “I see. You truly are hiding something then?” The other boy’s smile vanished, swallowing hard as Lahar continued. “Not only do we know you were hiding the body of Mavis Vermillion in your basement, we also are aware of your master’s goal of finding a way to resurrect her. Any type of magic like that is beyond impossible…and far too powerful for any wizard to possess. We were not meant to toy around with death. All of us must face it one day, and interfering will result in a harsh punishment for all involved.”

Gray avoided his gaze, glancing towards the wall instead. “He isn’t trying to resurrect her.” he said at last. “I won’t tell you anything about Mavis, just like I won’t say anything about our master…but I will tell you that his goal isn’t to resurrect her.” The tension in the boy’s muscles never faded, but Lahar couldn’t deny the boy’s words. Maybe he was telling the truth, as unlikely as it seemed.

Jotting down a few notes, Lahar rose to his feet and nodded. “If only you could be more cooperative. Still, I must thank you for what you have told me. Perhaps you will be granted a more…lenient sentence, for your helpfulness in our investigation.” The boy didn’t seem pleased at all, glaring as the guard came back to lead him away. With an arm on Gray’s elbow, the officer began moving towards the exit. They stopped once to retrieve the boy’s shirt, which left the boy somewhat surprised as he tugged it back on, but beyond that it seemed quite normal.

Glancing down at what he had written, Lahar slowly began to tap his pen against the paper. There was still so much left to be a mystery, so much that they weren’t certain of. Asking the normal wizards was getting them no where. With that in mind, Lahar sighed and rose to his feet. If no one else was brave enough to bring in the black wizard, he would have to do it. This time, he would be the strong one, staying calm and collected before an unstoppable force just as their princess had done when in the Alvarez Empire. Looking grim, Lahar walked off down the hall, moving to demand one last wizard for interrogation before the trial was to begin.


	43. A Chat Before Questioning

The cells were actually more comfortable than Zeref had expected. While it was small in size, there was a bed provided of some form. A plank attached to the wall was what served as the bed, with a toilet not far from his place of sleep. Leaning back on the wooden board, Zeref found it easy to close his eyes and picture himself anywhere else. It was a meditative state he was used to going into when he was stressed. With his magic, it was always best to remain calm and avoid anger. Meditating helped allow him to focus on anything other than blaming people for his suffering. As such, he had much practice in the art and could do so at almost any time, in any place.

The adjacent cells had likely been filled with other wizards at some point, but currently were empty. With the guards standing outside of his cell, he realized that the alteration was likely due to his presence. The Council feared his power to the extent that they were evacuating their own prison, and Zeref found that thought mildly amusing. With all of the efforts they went to simply to keep his power under control, they shouldn’t have been afraid of a few wizards being near him. Still, he couldn’t deny that he had many followers amongst dark guilds, so they were likely taking as many precautions as possible.

Outside the cell, a familiar wizard stood guard. Zeref hadn’t expected Warrod’s magic to alter him to such an extent, but it was actually common with powerful wizards. His tree magic had transformed the man’s skin into a hardened bark-like substance. With his hair puffing out like a small green bush, it completed the appearance of a walking tree for the wizard. “It appears they may be coming to let you out today.” Warrod commented, glancing back at him.

Closing his eyes, Zeref wondered just what the wizard hoped to gain with this. “Just kidding!” he added, laughing in a light tone. The man had gained a strange sense of humor, though Zeref wasn’t going to complain. “Actually, I was wondering what you had done to find yourself here. You didn’t strike me as the type to be caught so easily.”

Glancing up, Zeref realized that perhaps this was the only conversation he would find in this place. “No, I don’t suppose I am. After all, it did take centuries for the Council to even realize I was still alive, let alone locate where I was at.” The tree wizard seemed to nod, smiling as he turned towards Zeref.

“Ah, I suppose you are correct.” he commented, shaking his head. “Things get a bit fuzzy sometimes. Makes me wonder if we would have been better off searching for fairies too.” This comment made Zeref scowl, disliking the slight reference towards Mavis. He didn’t want to think about her right now, and about how he couldn’t break free to help save her sooner. “Just kidding! We went on plenty of adventures without chasing after fictional creatures, after all.”

This was how most of Warrod’s guard shifts went with Zeref. The black wizard would speak as little as possible, while the tree wizard rambled about various events of their past. As strange as it was, it felt somewhat comforting to know that the former student of his still wished to converse with him. They may be on opposite sides of this trial, but there was a bond that could never quite shatter between the two of them. As such, Zeref could rest in peace as Warrod spoke of other matters.

“Fairy Tail is in a real mess this time.” Warrod added, sounding serious once more. “Mavis would be so sad to see her family in this place…I want to know, do you have a plan for freeing them?” 

This was a question that had come up before, when Zeref first arrived in this prison. Considering that there were other guards posted nearby, he avoided answering. Rune knights were always close, but Warrod would get closer than any of the others did. At the moment, Warrod stood just outside of his cell, in the dimly lit hall, while the next closest guard was positioned in front of the third cell down the hall. Noise carried in a place like this, though, so he never wished to reveal much in these conversations.

Even so, his former student did have a right to know. Warrod had left the guild long ago, close to the time when Mavis fell under the influence of his curse. “No…I tried to warn her. There is little good that I can do for those around me. This is always the outcome…in some way, everyone I care for always leaves me.” Granted, it was usually through death, but the emotions involved were still the same. It was unlikely that he would ever see the wizards of Fairy Tail again after all of this.

The wizard saint focused his gaze on the wall lining the hall, his back turned towards Zeref. It made it look like Warrod was ignoring him, but Zeref understood what he was doing. For now, no one could know of these conversations. “Then Fairy Tail is no more. It is a sad day indeed, if even you have given up on achieving an impossible goal.” 

There was an odd truth to that statement, Zeref decided. His entire journey seemed to have begun with an impossible goal, one he refused to let go of. Wishing to save his family, he set out on a journey into magic of all kinds, and became far more powerful than any wizard alive. He took that impossible dream and made it reality, even if all it did was cause him pain in the end. 

Today, however, Zeref didn’t feel like being active. He had done enough in this world, in this time. After leading Fairy Tail for so long, he was simply tired of all the work. An empire was enough to keep him distracted. This guild was meant to be a family, though, not a distraction. It was something Zeref could never offer them, a bond that would kill them all if it formed properly. As such, he couldn’t truly care for them, and now, he simply didn’t know if he should act to save them, or if they had outlived their usefulness in his life.

Simply thinking and meditating was his existence instead. It was so much more peaceful, waiting for the time to come when he felt like changing the world once more. This wasn’t the first time he had done this. Years ago, he had grown bored of creating demons in his attempts to die. As a result, he went dormant for a few decades, meditating until one of his demons found him. The battle created a new drive within him, a desire to create demons once more and attempt to find a way to end his existence again.

Glancing towards Warrod, he found that the wizard saint seemed to have his head inclined. Even from behind the wizard, it was clear that something was troubling Warrod. “Perhaps it is sad…however, there is also much to be joyous about. As soon as this is all over…they will find safety. I will no longer be around to threaten their lives, nor will I find any need to act out within the world. Everything will be at peace…a rare occurrence these days when mankind wishes for nothing but war.”

Warrod hummed in response, not really saying much about it. It was clear that the wizard saint had come to his own conclusions, and now, Zeref leaned back once more to rest in silence. He had hoped to be able to rest for a while, but that was interrupted rather quickly. He heard footsteps around him, and at first, he ignored them. It was likely God Serena coming to replace Warrod as his guard. The times that God Serena came were strange to say the least. He knew that one of his Spriggan Twelve was placed within the Council to give him information on the actions of Fiore, but he had not expected that member to appear before him here. God Serena seemed to be waiting for orders, but Zeref never once spoke to the other wizard when he arrived.

The footsteps stopped, and the sound was followed by the noise of a slight creaking. The hinges of the door to his cell needed to be looked at, he realized. Glancing up, Zeref’s eyes opened once more to see the newcomer to the prison. He recognized the man, the rune knight that had arrested him. Lahar stood with his long black hair pulled back like usual, dressed in the formal robes of a rune knight captain. “Welcome, Captain Lahar. I’ve just been keeping our prisoner company. Honestly, I thought I was about to die before you showed up!”

Narrowing his eyes at Warrod for the comment, Zeref felt a bit weary of this humor now. After all, it wasn’t entirely unlikely for his words to become true. “Just kidding!” the wizard saint added, when he saw Lahar’s face pale and stare at him with wide eyes. This made the rune knight look rather irritated as well, glancing towards Zeref with a frown.

“It would not be wise to antagonize this prisoner, Warrod.” The rune knight seemed to want to say more, but he held back. After all, this wizard saint may be a bit odd, but he was Lahar’s superior. Zeref was pleased to see that he at least seemed to understand how to respond to authority.

The wizard saint ignored him, turning around with a slight smile. “I’ll be just fine, no need to worry about me, Captain.” Warrod stated cheerfully. “So, is it time for our prisoner to go in for questioning like the others? I was beginning to think none of you would bother to show for that task.”

Lahar nodded, standing before Zeref with a harsh glare. “Yes, it is. Unfortunately, my colleagues don’t seem to realize the importance of hearing his own testimony as well.” Turning towards Warrod, Lahar sighed. “Also, the Council stated that you must accompany us. He needs to be guarded at all times, especially during transport from his cell to the interrogation rooms.”

Smiling, Zeref shook his head at both of them and rose to his feet. “There is no need to go to such extremes.” Titling his head, he decided to play with his captors a little bit more. “If I had wanted to escape, I would have done so already. There are other ways of getting out of these cells that don’t involve magic, Captain.”

As if to prove his point, Zeref stepped forward and joined them on the other side of the door, seeing the rune knight close his eyes for a moment and press a hand to his head. “This isn’t the time for more threats. You do realize that the Council wishes for your death, don't you?” Zeref chuckled at that, shaking his head. They weren’t the only ones who wished for his death. 

Looking mildly alarmed, Lahar observed Zeref for a moment before hesitantly continuing on. “That…wasn’t meant as a joke.” he added, as if it wasn’t clear. “Our interrogation isn’t truly beginning here. You are free to speak as you wish. I will not hold it against you…this is the only thing I can offer you, for whatever you did for my underling that caused him to respect you so much.”

Pausing, Zeref wondered just who he was talking about for a moment. Then, his eyes widened as he realized that Natsu was the underling that had worked with Lahar. “Natsu is still here? I had not realized he was…joining you.” He did not want to say too much. If the dragon slayer wished to remain here, it was his choice, but Zeref had to find and keep track of the dragon slayers as much as possible.

Beginning to walk, Lahar took Zeref’s elbow to guid him down the hall, with Warrod following behind them. “He isn’t…but at the moment, the Council wants him in Era for their own reasons.” The rune knight actually looked unsure for a moment, hesitating as he glanced towards Zeref. “The only reason I am saying this is because I value honoring our deals with others, and repaying the debts we owe to those that have aided us in our investigations. Natsu is still here, because the Council believes they can use him against you.”

Hearing that, Zeref’s gaze turned dark, his frown harshening into a scowl. “I see. Tell them that I hold no attachment to that boy. If I did care at all for his life….I suppose he’d already be dead.” To anyone, it would have been a strange comment. Lahar looked alarmed at those words, while Warrod frowned behind him.

“I expect you would have learned better than that by now.” Warrod commented. “If anything, Mavis taught you that much.”

Her name made Zeref’s head spin around, glaring at the wizard saint. “Don’t speak of her. Unless you have a way of…no, perhaps not even then. Too many ears are listening in, there is not much to say on that matter.” His voice calmed slightly after his initial outburst. “As for Natsu, as I stated before, I do not hold his life in high regard. That is the lesson I learned that day, Warrod.” He didn’t have to explain any further, he hoped. Maybe the former Fairy Tail wizard didn’t realize the details of his curse, but he had probably heard rumors of what occurred to Mavis so long ago.

Glancing between them, Lahar frowned. “Do you two…know each other?” he questioned.

Tilting his head, Zeref wondered just how ignorant these wizards were. “Warrod was a member of Fairy Tail. In fact, he was one of the founding members.” This seemed to make Lahar pause for a moment. 

“If that is the case, how could he possibly…never mind. That is a subject I intend on having be a part of our actual interrogation.” Lahar shook his head, frowning as he gazed ahead of himself. “As for our original subject, Natsu is not going to be allowed to leave soon. From what I’ve heard, he is rather upset with the matter. Apparently, he seems to think he needs to hurry and search for Igneel.”

The rune knight captain seemed to be confused by the name, and that made Zeref realize he knew who Igneel had once been. “Yes, you will find that to be quite common amongst dragon slayers. All of them have a dragon to find…yet none of them truly know just where it is.” He knew that if God Serena were here, he would likely add in his own comment about how his glorious magic could outshine all of them combined. That wizard was one of the more arrogant ones he had among his guard, and he questioned at times if it should have forced God Serena out of the position.

Blinking, Lahar glanced towards Zeref. “You are not what I expected you to be.” he stated after a few moments. “I am the hand of justice, and you are the most wanted criminal we’ve ever faced. Somehow, I thought I would find you more…unlikable.”

Turning away and staring at the ground, Zeref paused at those words. He shouldn’t have been liked by so many, yet he found others growing more attached lately. “I…I wouldn’t, if I were you. Everything you’ve heard about my past, every terrible deed and monster created, is all true. I am no hero, Captain Lahar, nor am I entirely a villain either. Depending on the era you look at, I’ve both helped aid and helped destroy the world. I deserve whatever punishment lies in my future, though for both of our sakes, I hope you can actually accomplish delivering my sentence.” With those ominous words, Zeref shut his mouth and remained silent for the rest of their walk. Despite Lahar’s continued attempts to get more of an explanation, the black wizard remained thoughtful, lost in memories of past events that had resulted in the alteration of the world around him.


	44. Contradictory Answers

The interrogation room seemed to be quite average, based on similar rooms he’d been in before. It was square, and attempted to block the prisoner’s capability of seeing the world beyond this place. Sitting in a chair with Warrod standing in the corner of the room, Zeref waited for Lahar to truly begin. He had calmed down now, or more accurately, cheered up, and was ready for this to start. Even so, his melancholy mood hung around him, and strangely, it made him wish Natsu were here to cheer him up. He was the only person alive that seemed to be capable of doing so at the moment, so perhaps it was usual.

Perhaps this was what friendship meant, he decided. He had become far too reliant on the dragon slayer to improve his mood, so he had to learn to let go of that dependency. “Alright, let us begin. Are you truly the black wizard of legend, the one known as Zeref?” 

Nodding, Zeref glanced towards the wall behind the rune knight. “Yes. The time for lies about that has ended. After all, you’ve already heard the truth from Jose.” Even if it wasn’t directly from that wizard, he was the one who had ordered the truth to be given to the Council.

The rune knight seemed to hesitate, writing down something on his notepad after a few moments. “That complicates matters. Have you been Fairy Tail’s master this entire time?” The question hung in the air before them, this time making Zeref frown. He had no choice but to speak about her, it seemed.

“Mavis was the founder of Fairy Tail.” he stated, his voice somewhat strained. “After she…certain events,” he corrected himself, realizing that there were limits to what he would speak about. “she named me as the second master. Ever since then, I have been leading the guild.”

Lahar smiled somewhat, though he didn’t look exactly pleased. More accurately, he only looked mildly amused by his comments. “You are being far more cooperative than your guild members have been. It is a pleasant surprise.” he mused, rubbing his forehead. “Now, about these ‘certain events’. I assume you are referring to Mavis’ death?”

Stiffening, Zeref’s jaw clenched tightly and his hands formed fists on the table. “No.” he replied, not speaking any further on the matter. Her death was not a subject he was going to say anything about, nor did he want to remember it at all. Even though it had been nearly a century ago, he still remembered what it felt like to hold her in his arms. She had kissed him back for just a second, then he had felt how limp she became. Her body seemed to slump over in his grasp…

Shaking his head, Zeref found that he was breathing hard and on the verge of hyperventilating. “Is something wrong? Warrod, could you get us some water, please?” Lahar seemed to be actually concerned for his health, an unneeded sentiment.

Taking a deep breath, Zeref simply held his hands out towards them, the chains of his cuffs jingling around the room. “I…I am fine. Memories come and go, however, they often bring more pain then benefit these days. If you wish for this interrogation to continue to be as pleasant as it has been, I suggest you refrain from asking about Mavis. She is not your concern, nor do her actions have anything to do with Fairy Tail’s current status.”

Staring at him, Lahar’s eyes seemed to be wide. “He was right…I didn’t believe him, when he said it was personal to you.” Unsure of what he was talking about, Zeref simply glanced away. “I…shall respect your decision, then. If you claim she is unrelated, we will move on. Now, just how did you manage to survive for so long?”

Rubbing his forehead, Zeref simply frowned. “A curse.” he replied casually, shrugging. 

This seemed to surprise the rune knight, who paused in taking notes to stare at him. “A curse? There isn’t a curse in existence that allows someone to gain eternal life.” he insisted.

Shaking his head, Zeref smiled a bit darkly at that. “Oh, but there is. History has simply forgotten about it, just as it decided to write me off as being dead. I never once even attempted to fake such an event, yet as I remained dormant for years, people decided I must have perished at some point.” He didn’t bother correcting the man on the difference between eternal life and immortality. It wasn’t an important detail to linger on.

Hesitantly, Lahar seemed to write down the information. “Very well. In Magnolia, approximately four weeks ago, did you kill every inhabitant of the magic shop just down the street from your guild?” The question seemed so strange, to have it come so near when he first mentioned his curse.

“Yes, though I had no intention of killing anyone when I came to that place.” he admitted. 

Glancing at him, Lahar nodded. “I see. Then what did you plan on doing?”

This was going to confuse the man further, Zeref noted. “I planned on avoiding killing anyone, actually.” he mused. “Plans like that always backfire for me, though. It is why I struggle to maintain that balance…remembering the value of life just enough to avoid intentionally causing death…” He cut himself off, before he could ramble on too much about his curse.

As expected, Lahar had dropped his pen and simply stared at Zeref. “You…killed people, because you were trying to avoid killing people?” he questioned, to clarify Zeref’s response. The black wizard nodded mutely, unsure of what the rune knight would make of his answer. “That’s…it doesn’t make any sense. Just…how….why…” Lahar couldn’t seem to recover enough to phrase another question.

“You will find,” Zeref interrupted, glancing up at the ceiling. “that if you get to know me at all, my entire existence is nothing but contradictions. Quite ironic, if you consider everything that has occurred in my past.”

This time, it seemed as if the man was putting his interrogation on hold, to satisfy his own curiosity. “Contradictions…like wanting people to live, yet becoming a murderer?”

Smiling, Zeref tilted his head. “Yes, and also like being immortal yet longing for death.” This made the rune knight freeze in his seat. 

“That is why…” he murmured, gazing at Zeref. “You were amused at the prospect of us executing you. That is what you wish to gain out of all of this…your entire goal was for us to find you, so we could kill you…”

Shaking his head, Zeref frowned. “No, I actually had no intention of being found. There were…other goals, I had wished to accomplish before finding peace.” Smiling, he turned towards the man. “I suppose that is yet another contradiction, then. I wish for death, yet at the same time, I wish to live on and become more active in the world.”

This only seemed to leave Lahar more lost than before. His interrogator slowly shook his head, sighing and rubbing his forehead before moving on. “I suppose your motives aren’t entirely our main concern.” With that comment, Lahar frowned and glanced at his notes again. “Since you did not intend to be found, perhaps there is more involved than we originally realized. You went by the name Spriggan as Fairy Tail’s second master, correct?”

Frowning, Zeref nodded in agreement. “Then later, you created the alter ego August Yura when fleeing from Magnolia.” That was something Zeref knew they were aware of already. He hummed slightly, a noise of agreement, while idly letting his gaze slide across the room. This interrogation was beginning to bore him. In fact, he’d much rather be in his cell, meditating before his trial began. “Are you also the rumored Emperor Spriggan, leading the nation known as the Alvarez Empire?”

This, however, was unexpected. Blinking, Zeref’s focus returned to the rune knight captain. “Pardon?” He had to make sure he heard the man correctly. That was an alias no one in Magnolia knew of, beyond Natsu and Wendy. Even if they had wished to inform others of it, there was not enough time for either of them to divulge that information to the government here.

Smiling, Lahar leaned forward. “I asked if you were the emperor of the Alvarez Empire.”

With the comment repeated, Zeref took a deep breath and glanced out of the corner of his eye towards Warrod. Not even the wizard saint knew about this, but someone had to have revealed it to them. Closing his eyes, Zeref realized that perhaps that was not the case. He had used the name Spriggan here as well, along with the names of August and Invel for his alter ego. If one of the rune knights knew anything about his guard, it wouldn’t be too difficult to put together the pieces. “Yes, though if you are fearing an attack as a result of my arrest, I would not be too concerned.”

That made Lahar pause, glancing towards him. “You are their emperor…yet you don’t think they’d fight to retrieve you?” Most nations would be worried, in that sense. Imprisoning a high-ranked official from another country was a good way to start a war. Imprisoning the leader of another country was almost a guarantee of starting one.

Tilting his head slightly, Zeref shrugged. “Perhaps they would, but they do not act in such major ways without my orders. Wars tend to be tedious and pointless. I only start them if there is a goal worth fighting for at the end of the road, and at the moment, my freedom is not worth beginning a war over.” 

The rune knight placed his hands flat on the table, shaking his head. “I…I just don’t understand. You are the Black Wizard, you should be…” he trailed off, glancing over Zeref’s appearance once more.

Raising an eyebrow, Zeref leaned forward. “Expecting something different? I assure you, I can be your worst enemy if you wish. However, there truly is no one to blame but myself for my situation at the moment. I made the decisions that brought me to this place, and it is time for me to face punishment.” Zeref clasped his hands together on the table in front of him, folding his fingers together.

“Punishment for the murders you’ve committed? Or punishment for your actions with Fairy Tail?” This time, Zeref did not reply. It was quite obvious which crimes he truly felt guilty for, simply based on the man’s previous questions. “Either way, you are far too dangerous to allow to live on. With magic like yours…it doesn’t even matter exactly what it is, we already know that it kills in an instant.”

Turning away, Zeref felt a slight smile at the edges of his lips. Centuries had given him the ability to smile at the darkest moments, and a humor to match that darkness as well. “My magic kills regardless of what I wish. Simply put, my entire existence has become nothing but tragedy. Death follows in my wake, yet I remain untouched by its effects.” Lahar seemed to look mildly alarmed, but he swallowed and moved on.

“It does not matter how you’ve managed to evade death for so long. We will ensure that you face judgment, Zeref.” Glancing back down at his notes, Lahar tapped his pen against the paper for a moment. “What were you holding in the basement of Fairy Tail?”

Narrowing his eyes, Zeref leaned closer yet towards Lahar. “Basement? Ah, I do believe Natsu mentioned searching that place. Tell me, just what did you hope to find by breaking into that place?” He wasn’t going to reply, not with what this man wanted.

Looking calm, Lahar kept his expression passive. “Answers. Quite simply, we’ve learned that you kept that place heavily guarded, and from what we’ve heard, you kept the body of Fairy Tail’s first master imprisoned within. However, remnants of a lacrima were found. We wish to know what spell you were planning to activate within your guild hall.”

“That lacrima…in essence, it was a…preservation spell, of sorts.” That had been the intention, anyway. Zeref wasn’t going to describe just what it had actually created, though. 

Lahar frowned, making note of it and glancing back towards Zeref. “Preservation spell? Based on Gray’s testimony, however, you had no intention of…resurrecting Mavis.” Hearing that, Zeref stiffened again. More mentions of Mavis, and the man seemed to not even realize the carelessness of those actions.

With his hands clasped tightly, Zeref glanced away. “No, resurrection is not the right word.” He was uncertain of what the correct word was, simply due to the impossibility of her current state. Since Mavis wasn’t exactly dead, she wasn’t being resurrected, but at the same time, she wasn’t alive either. “However, that does not mean I did not wish to preserve her body. The lacrima was simply a method of doing so, allowing her body to remain untouched by the ravages of time.”

The rune knight didn’t miss the slight clue within his response. “Not the right word?” He narrowed his eyes, turning distrustful in an instant. “Just what do you intend to do with the body of your former master?” 

Zeref’s gaze turned unforgiving and harsh, his hands unclasping and lying flat on the table. Rising to his feet, he ignored the alarm in the man’s gaze as he leaned closer, staring him down. His black eyes locked with Lahar’s purple gaze. “I’ve told you before, I will not speak of Mavis.” His fingers curled on they able, his eyes narrowing further. Taking a deep breath, Zeref tried calming himself slightly before moving on with a warning. “I have no reason to do anything to Fiore in this era. I am not your ally. I am not your enemy. However, if you continue to push my limits…I just may find myself changing my mind.”

The threat hung thickly in the air between them. Lahar was staring at him with wide eyes, leaning back in his chair. Zeref wanted to hear that the man understood, but Warrod came forward at that moment and startled him by placing a hand on his arm. “I do believe that is enough for today.” Warrod commented, glancing between them. “It appears as if you are still not recovering from her loss yet.”

Closing his eyes, Zeref inhaled slowly as he took a deep breath. “Take me back to my cell. We’re done here. If you wish to interrogate me again, I assure you, there will be no further answers. You had my cooperation before, but now, I am angry, and I do not help people when I am angry.” 

With Warrod leading him away, Zeref left the interrogation room. He could feel the rune knight’s gaze on his back the entire time as he left. He wished that he had behaved better, but Mavis had always been a sore subject. Perhaps one day others would come to understand that when he gave them a warning, it should be interpreted as a promise of actions to come should his words be ignored.


	45. Secrets Between Friends

The interrogation of the black wizard had not helped matters much. With what he had learned, Lahar attempted to report to the Council. No one knew much of anything about the black wizard, but it was alarming to hear that they had imprisoned the emperor of another nation. In his mind, that meant they had to tread lightly if they wished to avoid beginning a war with one of the most powerful nations in existence. However, the Council felt otherwise. They claimed that his testimony could not be trusted, and that Zeref should be considered a liar at all times.

As a result, Lahar had been forced away. His words were pointless, and all of their work was for nothing. The Council had been debating for weeks on what to do, keeping all of the rune knights away from the deliberations. There was no doubt that their meetings were focused on deciding Fairy Tail’s sentence. It was simply saddening to see their justice system failing to account for the information they had learned.

Walking down the hall, Lahar found himself searching for a familiar face. It was odd, that he was seeking out the company of the dragon slayer that had irritated him so much before. Currently, he had to speak with the boy, though. If anyone would know how to recover from angering the black wizard, it would be the boy that was insisting he was friendly with Zeref. Oddly enough, based on what he had seen, Lahar believed that Natsu was important to the man too. Something about mentioning the dragon slayer had struck a chord in Zeref, and Lahar couldn’t help but be pleased to have tried to appeal to that kinder side of him.

Walking down the halls, Lahar turned towards the room he had heard was Natsu’s temporary residence. It wasn’t a prison cell, but the wizard also wasn’t allowed to leave either. The rune knight captain couldn’t help but feel concerned for the boy, after the short time he had spent with him. Natsu may be reckless and irritating, but he did care for his friends in a way that Lahar had never seen in anyone else. There was something to be admired about that loyalty, and about Natsu’s ability to find a way to keep his word to everyone involved.

Pushing a door open, Lahar stepped inside without bothering to knock. The Council didn’t seem to value his privacy, and the dragon slayer was rather irritated and bored from what he had heard. Spotting him sprawled out on the bed, Lahar met the boy’s gaze calmly. He was awake, but resting at the moment. “Get out.” Natsu ordered, pointing towards the door.

Blinking, Lahar frowned. “You don’t have the authority to kick me out, Natsu.”

“Oh yeah? Well, I have the ability to kick your ass if you don’t listen to me.” he growled in return. “After all, you’re the bastard that got us into this mess anyway. What the hell do you want now?”

Sighing, Lahar shook his head. “Are you truly this upset? Our goal this entire time was to arrest the wizards of Fairy Tail. That job is complete, and we should be celebrating a great victory. They are no longer capable of threatening the peace within Fiore.” It was logic, one that Lahar often used to tell himself he was doing the right thing. Sometimes, personal feelings got in the way, but justice always had to win in the end.

Scowling, Natsu glanced over towards Lahar. “Yeah, I guess.” He didn’t sound that convinced, though. “I just don’t think this’ll help anyone that much. Fairy Tail wasn’t doing anything wrong, and August was just trying to—“

“We know who he is, Natsu.” Lahar corrected, interrupting the boy.

Sighing, Natsu folded his arms and rested them behind his head. “Fine, Zeref wasn’t trying to do anything wrong either.” he admitted, staring up at his ceiling.

Moving deeper into the room, Lahar noted that it was actually quite messy. Trash littered the floor in places, from meals Natsu had been given during his time here. Most of them were empty plates, though some contained half-eaten meals that had not been removed. A few changes of clothes were tossed across the floor, dirty and rumpled. The desk was clear at least, but that was likely due to the fact that the dragon slayer had no use for the object at the moment. 

Focusing on Natsu, Lahar tried to find a way to express something to earn the boy’s trust back. “I…how did he do that?” It wasn’t his original intention, but his curiosity about Zeref was growing every second. The black wizard was an intriguing puzzle, one that Lahar wanted to solve soon. “He has gained your complete and total trust, yet he has killed countless innocents. What did the black wizard do to convince you that he was some kind of saint?”

Snorting, Natsu shook his head. “Nah, he’s not a saint. I don’t think anyone really is, but his heart is in the right place.” With that, the dragon slayer glanced towards Lahar with a frown. “You know, your words kind of remind me of something he talked about once. Even he doesn’t know how he fits into this world…I didn’t understand much of what he said, but I did grasp that much. Zeref doesn’t know if he’s supposed to be a villain, or a hero…so he just does his best and tries to be neutral instead. Don’t get why he doesn’t just pick a side…but I guess he’ll figure out his place soon enough.”

It didn’t make any sense. With power like his, it was clear that the black wizard should be a villain, if put into those terms. He killed, and he created monsters that destroyed the world. “Contradictions…” he murmured, trying to figure it out. Something seemed to sharpen in Natsu’s gaze, but Lahar was too focused on his thoughts to notice the change. “It isn’t that he hasn’t chosen…but likely due to the fact that he wishes to play both roles in some form. He told me that his entire existence was centered on the concept of contradictions, thus it would make sense that he is acting as both the villain and the hero of his own tale.”

Whatever had entered Natsu’s gaze before vanished in an instant. His shoulders slumped slightly, the brief tension leaving the dragon slayer’s body. “Oh, that. I guess that could be it. I mean, he wants to help people, but it always ends up…nah, I can’t really explain it right. If he wanted you to know, he would’ve told ya already.” With that, the dragon slayer seemed to be done talking about Zeref.

This wasn’t what Lahar had originally planned on discussing, but it was better than nothing. “I fear…I fear I’ve angered him, in my attempts to learn more about his actions. You were correct that Mavis is a personal matter for him, however, he grew more than simply agitated when I questioned him about her.” Thinking back, Lahar wondered just how serious the man was. Zeref had been furious after he simply mentioned her again, but it had vanished so quickly as well. There was something dark within the black wizard, waiting to be unleashed. Lahar simply hoped he wasn’t the one to cause it to break free.

“Well, duh.” Natsu commented, as if it were obvious. “He misses her. Of course he’d be upset if you kept asking about her.”

It was such a simple answer, something he should have expected from Natsu. Lahar wanted to write it off, and he nearly did, before he paused. The distant expression on his face when Lahar first questioned about Mavis was not that of an angered wizard. No, it had looked more like he was suffering a pain that would never fade away. Those black eyes had been lost and nearly empty, and when they focused again, they had held that brief flare of anger. Maybe it was that simple. Zeref missed the former master of the guild he was now in charge of, and he was preserving her body so he still had some form of connection to her.

Maybe he did owe the man an apology. Lahar considered going down and speaking to the black wizard about it, before scowling at his own stupidity. That man was getting under his skin as well. Zeref truly was a devious man, capable of deceiving anyone. Even he was seeing light in a man who had murdered so heartlessly. Lahar had to focus on what he knew. Zeref was a monster. There was nothing redeemable about the man, and he was going to face justice as soon as possible.

With that in mind, Lahar turned back towards Natsu. “I see. Then do you know what the spell was in their basement?” He needed to know. That spell was bothering him more than anything else, especially since it was created by the black wizard.

Glancing away, Natsu looked uncomfortable. “It…I can’t really talk about it. I mean, it’s not like he’s doing any harm with the thing.” Natsu shrugged, turning towards him. “So, it’s not really a big deal. You should probably just forget about it. Pretty soon, the Council will do the same. They don’t typically linger on issues like this for long. I just hope they hurry the hell up, because I’ve got work to do if I wanna find Igneel soon.”

That made Lahar recall another thing Zeref told him. “Igneel…the dragon, correct?” Natsu nodded in agreement, not looking too concerned with Lahar’s knowledge of his quest. “It is odd. Zeref seemed to think that there were multiple dragon slayers around, all of which were looking for a dragon.”

The dragon slayer sat up, blinking at him suddenly. “Wait, what?” Natsu glared for a moment, slamming his fist down onto the mattress by his side. “Damn it! What the hell is that bastard’s problem? He knows we’re all looking for them…hell, he even knows about all of us…why can’t he just tell us…I mean, it may be important to some plan, but we all…” There was a tightness in Natsu’s voice, making him cut off his words as he glanced away.

Taking a seat next to Natsu on the bed, Lahar gave the boy a slight smile. “From what little I gathered talking to him, if Zeref does not wish to reveal information, you would not have any chance of discovering what you wish to know.” The black wizard had been an expert at dodging questions. The only time Lahar managed to get an unwilling answer was when he threw the man off-guard, questioning him about the Alvarez Empire.

Natsu nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I figured that much out already. We’re friends though. I thought that he’d…I dunno, trust me or something by now.” Frowning, Natsu glanced towards Lahar. “You’d trust your friends, right? I mean, everyone keeps secrets, but you’d tell your friends about it if they asked.”

It was a strange question, one that seemed like it held an obvious answer. Trusting your friends was something that came naturally to most. Friendship was based on trust in many ways, forcing two people to rely on each other for support in life. However, thinking about what little he had seen in Zeref, it would not surprise Lahar to see this alter in some form for the man. As for secrets, it would alter for himself too. There were some things that Lahar wasn’t allowed to speak of, if it related to certain cases with work. Friends that were not a part of the rune knights could not be given inside details of ongoing investigations.

As a result, when he turned back towards Natsu, he found that he related more to the black wizard than he did to the dragon slayer. It was a disconcerting feeling, making him frown. “I…it would depend on the secret. Sometimes, in our line of work, there are facts that we cannot allow the public to discover. It would impede our investigation, and if news reached our target’s ears, they would be able to evade arrest. As such, secrecy becomes necessary at times, even from the few I consider my friend.” 

“Evade you, huh?” Natsu frowned, glancing away. “Maybe that’s what it’s about…Zeref did mention some other wizard a while back, one that was powerful enough to challenge him in a fight. It kind of went with his whole talk about heroes and villains, so I ended up tuning a lot of the details out, though.” 

Lahar was tempted to point out that dragons were unlikely the key to helping Zeref with any plans of his, but decided against it. Natsu seemed calmer with that explanation, and it wasn’t his place to destroy the boy’s brief peace in this place. “I can’t say. I wasn’t all that interested in his actions concerning dragons. My questions focused more on his magic and relation with Fairy Tail.”

Nodding, the dragon slayer glanced back at him. “You know, you’re not all that bad.” Natsu admitted. “If you’re free after this, do—“ Natsu was cut off as the door slammed open again, surprising Lahar as well. Both of them turned to see Doranbolt standing before them, looking tired and staring at them both with wide eyes.

“The council has made their decision.” he stated, glancing between them. “I thought you’d want to hear…Fairy Tail is being released.”

Grinning, Natsu looked ready to celebrate. The boy jumped to his feet with a smirk, punching a fist into the air. “Ha! I knew it, I told ya Fairy Tail wasn’t bad here.”

Swallowing, Doranbolt shook his head. “They are being forced to disband…but the Council does not blame them for anything.” He seemed to hesitate, and Lahar knew what was coming next. There was only one person responsible for all of this mess in their eyes. “However, they are still holding Fairy Tail’s master as the one accountable for what happened. Based on the rumors going on around him…Natsu, you are not going to like this.”

The dragon slayer’s hand had dropped, and he was looking serious. There was a calmness to his gaze that Lahar realized hadn’t been there before. Something had changed in him recently, though Lahar didn’t know how. Maybe it was related to learning more about Zeref’s magic, or perhaps some other mission he had gone on. Either way, the control over his emotions was greater than before, and Lahar saw him nod as he waited to hear the news.

Biting his lip, Doranbolt hesitated for one last moment before sighing and turning away. “They’ve decided that there is only one way to properly ensure that he will cause no further damage. Zeref has been sentenced to death, and the Council doesn’t want to wait to carry out the sentence. They’ve ordered me to gather all of the rune knights in Era now, so we can all witness the execution of the legendary black wizard.”


	46. Endless Execution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter is a bit more violent than the others, as the chapter title might suggest. You should be able to skip over it if you are uncomfortable reading it.

It appeared as if his trial was being skipped, Zeref noted. A guard had come down to his cell, interrupting his meditation by banging on his cell door. The noise made Zeref glance lazily towards the man, only to find him unlocking the door with a glare. God Serena was his guard at the moment, so he was free of conversation for the time being, but that didn't mean this new rune knight was a welcome sight.

He thought that his last interrogation would have given them the idea. Zeref didn’t intend on speaking any further about himself. They had their chance to get their answers, but they did not show him the respect of leaving his past alone. “Sorry to interrupt…” the rune knight seemed rather nervous, glancing towards Zeref and holding up his hand towards the man. A light came to life in his palm, illuminated the dimmed room as he came forward. “Your sentence has been decided on. The Council has asked me to bring you to the courtyard for your execution.”

Execution. The word made Zeref smile, chuckling as he rose to his feet. Let them try, he thought. It wasn’t as if he had anything to fear. Perhaps the Council could discover some method he was unaware of to get around his curse. “Execution? That is a foolish endeavor if I ever heard one. Those underlings on the Council couldn’t hope to accomplish such a thing, not when I, God Serena, am not capable of killing him off.”

The arrogance of his guard made Zeref sigh, his smile fading as he shook his head. “Well, I didn’t make the decision, sir.” The rune knight shrugged, moving on. “It took them a long time to decide, too. Yours was only one of four votes against his death…which is odd, considering what Zeref has been known to do. At least Siegrain’s argument held some logic to it. From what I overheard, he simply thought it was impossible for this man here to be Zeref, as did Ultear.” The rambling was a bit irritating, Zeref noted.

“Oh? And how did you hear such things? Peasants shouldn’t learn the secrets of gods, boy.” God Serena smiled at the rune knight, though it wasn’t a pleasant look. 

Shrugging, the rune knight continued leading them down the hall. “Rumors. They fly around these parts, especially with so many knights around. I’ve heard people gossiping about the Council members, others talking about things that happened in interrogations, others wondering why Fairy Tail is being released…all sorts of nonsense to sort through if you just sit down and listen in. I always find rumors quite interesting.” 

Now that Zeref stared at this man, he slowly began to recognize his face. This was the same knight that interrogated him in Magnolia. He had seemed nervous back then too, but he hadn’t spoken this much. Maybe when he was focusing more on his job, he managed to control this habit of talking about anything that came to mind. “Speaking of rumors,” the man continued on. “I heard that your guild was in Clover a while back. That was some nasty business, but it was strange to hear that a dark guild stopped a demon. What could you have to gain by doing that?”

Rubbing his forehead, Zeref glanced towards God Serena with a scowl. “I dislike hearing people foolishly mess with things that are best left alone. Putting an end to Lullaby eliminated a tool I no longer had use for, while getting rid of fools like Eisenwald who thought it could be controlled.” Maybe he didn’t want to answer their questions anymore, but at the moment, he simply wanted this man to be quiet and let him spend the next few moments in peace.

Unfortunately, his words did not seem to satisfy the man’s ramblings. “Really? Well, I guess that can be annoying. Dark guilds never know when to stop…no offense, of course. As a rune knight, I’ve seen them cause all sorts of messes, trying to steal magic of yours and use it as their own. Others make their own spells, but they always want something that makes them more powerful and can help them get revenge on someone else. The stories get old after…” Closing his eyes, Zeref tried tuning him out.

Taking deep breaths was really the only thing he could do to stay calm right now. Ignoring the man’s words, Zeref didn’t even realize when the rune knight has stopped, waiting for Zeref to reply to some question. “Your—Zeref, I do believe you were asked a question.” God Serena stated, cutting himself off before stating Zeref’s title.

Opening his eyes once more, Zeref frowned at the rune knight. “I was wondering how you were handling this so well. I mean, I just told you that the Council plans to execute you today. Most prisoners have more of a reaction than you had…and none of them ever really laughed after hearing a grim sentence like that.” The rune knight seemed genuinely curious, but Zeref didn’t truly wish to explain all the details. 

Glancing at the path in front of them, Zeref noted that they were nearing the end of the hallway. A staircase was before them, and they were walking up the steps towards the main halls of Era. “You will find out soon enough. Today will be…interesting, to say the least. I wonder how the world will react, to knowing the truth.” Few reacted well, Zeref noted. People dreamed of gaining immortality for themselves, but few realized just how much pan came from it as a result. Living forever meant suffering for eternity, simply through the loss of everyone around you. Time passed you by, and eventually, memories begin to blur together. Zeref had forgotten so much of his past, so many happy memories that he often found himself wondering what he had to hold onto. Only the most painful of his memories remained perfectly intact, and his few pleasant memories of his family were tainted by the fact that reminiscing about them unleashed his magic every time.

They turned at the end of the stairs, heading into an open area of Era. The hall was wide, with arches lining one side to give a view of the outside yard. Glancing towards the courtyard, Zeref could see people gathered below. They were gathered around a platform, one that seemed to be put together at the last second. A noose hung loosely from a rafter, waiting for him to be used. It appeared as if he was going to be in for a bit of discomfort in the near future. Suffocation was not a pleasant experience, nor was it comfortable by any means to hang one’s entire weight from one’s head. The rope would dig into his skin, and while he would survive, he knew that it would hurt.

Taking a deep breath, Zeref decided to get used to his future prospects already. If he was sacrificing the ability to breath, he was going to be prepared. Holding his breath, Zeref walked passively the rest of the way towards the platform, where the rune knight stopped to let him walk up the wooden stairs to stand on top. Now that he was here, there seemed to be even more people. Amongst the crowd, he did not see a single wizard from Fairy Tail. However, he did spot the rune knight that had interrogated him, as well as Natsu scattered throughout. The dragon slayer was scowling up at him, looking irritated to be here. Likely, he was upset that Zeref was in this situation, but there was little to be done about it.

The rune knight followed behind him onto the platform, while God Serena stopped at the edge. The wizard saint was glancing out amongst the crowd, frowning as he hesitantly looked back towards Zeref. After a moment, God Serena rushed up the stairs, coming close to Zeref’s side. Leaning down, he whispered into the black wizard’s ear. “What are your orders? I can take care of these peasants if you wish, your majesty. You shouldn’t have to go through this.”

Glaring at his guard, Zeref pulled away. “Leave me be. It isn’t as if they can truly succeed today.” With that reply, the wizard saint backed away, frowning as the rune knight began wrapping the rope around his neck. At the moment, it was loosely fit, but he knew that they would make the ground beneath his feet vanish soon. That would be when the discomfort began. Right now, actually, it had already begun. Despite the fact that he had no need to breath, his lungs felt like they were burning for oxygen. This was why he usually continued inhaling, beyond creating simple appearances. Discomfort was something he wished to avoid as much as possible, but things were only going to get worse.

In front of him on the platform was a row of seats, with people gathered in each one. Zeref saw a female with long black hair sitting next to a man with dark blue hair and a white overcoat. Closer to the center was a man with nearly no hair, so short that his legs didn’t seem to even reach the floor. These were the members of the Council, Zeref noted. All of them had gathered for this, and before long, God Serena moved forward to stand in front of them all.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am the wizard saint, God Serena. We have been in deliberations for weeks now, and after much debate, we have decided that the criminal Zeref is to be hanged for his crimes.” God Serena paused at this, glancing back towards Zeref before shaking his head and turning back to the crowd. “All of you are here to witness to this historical event. We will all remember this day as the day the great and powerful Black Wizard Zeref met his end, at the hands of the most powerful wizard in existence!” With a smile, God Serena confidently stood as if to prove that it was his own doing that this was happening.

All the dramatics could have been skipped, Zeref thought. Watching his guard prance around and declare his execution was an odd thing. He wasn’t angry with God Serena for doing so, but it appeared as if even in this speech he could not manage to control his overconfidence. “It is time for us to begin. Let’s all bow our heads in a silent prayer, for what we are about to do.” The crowd grew silent, all of them looking grim and serious as they closed their eyes and inclined their heads forward.

A few moments later, they all stared back up, unfeeling eyes boring into Zeref’s figure on the platform. “This’ll be a story to tell. One day, I’ll be able to say I met the black wizard Zeref, and that I was here when he died.” The rune knight that brought him here still seemed to be rambling, even after their moment of silence. Still, there was nothing more to truly add. With a swift motion, the rune knight pulled a lever down and released the falling floor of the platform. Zeref felt the rope dig into his throat, cutting into his skin and jerking his head slightly. His legs dangled in the air as his breathing became practically impossible. With already so little air in his body, it wasn’t that different, though. The only alteration was the pressure against his throat, and the pain from the temporary rope burns that were healing in seconds.

People watched in silence, their heads hung with sorrow in their gazes. Not many approved of execution as a punishment, so it was only used in extreme situations. With his history, Zeref was not surprised to have been given that sentence. However, it did not mean it could be carried out all that easily. Slowly, Zeref became used to the discomfort associated with the rope, and with hanging in this manner. His eyes drifted shut, and he let himself grow as calm as possible. Likely, they would try something that he couldn’t adapt to in the future, but this was a feeling that became normal after so much time. His burning lungs faded away beyond his focus, and the rope was more of a necklace than a noose after a while—simply an accessory that he could ignore without much effort.

Time was irrelevant to him, so he truly didn’t know how long he had been hanging for. Someone seemed to shuffle near him, a noise that made him open his eyes with a frown. A new rune knight had moved onto the stage, Lahar. “This isn’t…why is he still alive?” Lahar questioned. Reaching forward, Lahar pressed a hand to the rope around Zeref’s neck. Frowning as the rune knight toyed with the rope he had just gotten used to, Zeref let the man determine that it was, in fact, tight enough.

“Marvin, let him stand again. Something isn’t right.” Lahar frowned and studied Zeref as Marvin did as asked. That appeared to be the name of the talkative rune knight. Now standing again, Zeref stood still as Lahar removed the noose from his neck and studied his throat. The red marks that had been burned into his skin were already fading, but the faint pinkness was what Lahar managed to see. It vanished from sight in an instant, leaving the rune knight’s eyes wide.

Smiling, Zeref tilted his head towards the rune knight as a challenge. Taking his first breath since he arrived, Zeref used it to speak. “I’ve been sentenced to death, such an amusing concept. It will be interesting, to see if you can succeed where I’ve failed. Let’s see just how creative you can get.” With that, Lahar stepped back and glanced towards the Council.

“Bring in the firing unit! If the noose can’t kill him, then we’ll kill him with magic.” someone shouted, though Zeref did not know which wizard it was. 

A group began shuffling through the crowd, dressed in the white robes of the rune knights. The Council began to move aside, while the crowd behind Zeref cleared out of the way. Now standing in front of Zeref, a group of wizards knelt down and began requiping guns of all forms, pointing them directly at the black wizard. Standing tall, Zeref frowned at them and sighed. This was going to hurt, and unfortunately, it would not succeed. 

Circles appeared before their guns as magic activated, magic shots echoing around the courtyard. Feeling some pelt him, Zeref grimaced and touched his side where the first shot landed. Another slammed into his shoulder, tearing through his robes and into his skin as he grimaced. Coming faster now, two shots hit him at once, one in the calf and the other in the arm that was clutching his side. More bullets barraged his body, and eventually, he lost track of where they struck him. Pain filled his entire figure, burning with each shot that entered him. Some tore through his chest, a few managed to hit his head, and others missed entirely. The entire stage, however, was blocked from view by the sheer wall of bullets raining down on the black wizard.

The entire time, Zeref managed to avoid crying out in pain. He had learned to remain silent in the face of suffering, though he did gasp at times when a particularly painful shot landed. Even as his body was torn apart, however, it healed in seconds. These cuffs on his hands could not keep his immortality at bay, despite the fact that they dulled the outbursts of death magic. Now, however, the shots were hitting the cuffs as well. With the sheer number of shots and the force packed behind them, cracks began to form.

Alarmed, Zeref’s head shot up. “Stop! The cuffs…” he began, his voice managing to still the crowd. The shots stopped for a brief moment, as the wizards stared in confusion at the clear, concise shout. Anyone on the verge of death would not be able to speak so confidently, and anyone that had been injured would sound more…pained, to put it simply. When the dust settled, Zeref glanced towards them with worried eyes. “This won’t kill me…please, just stop. If you continue on…” There was only one person in this crowd whose life he valued, but after his curse had been dormant for weeks, it would not turn out well if it were freed suddenly. “I don’t want to kill anyone.”

Murmurs echoed around him. People glanced towards each other, whispering and pointing towards his body on the stage. Stepping back towards him, Lahar frowned and inspected his body. A hand touched his wrist, lifting the cuffs for Lahar to inspect them. “They are cracking…why did you stop us? You could have broken free…” The rune knight captain looked lost, unsure of what to do.

“If they break, my magic also breaks free. You do not want to be near me when that happens.” With that, Zeref glanced back towards the crowd. “What is next? Surely, you have another idea in mind to end my existence.”

Silence answered him. No one seemed to know what to do. Fear was written on the expressions of wizards and rune knights, all of them scattered throughout the crowd and unsure of what to do. “You truly are immortal…” Lahar whispered from behind him, sounding stunned.

Chuckling, Zeref glanced over his shoulder to stare at the rune knight captain. “Of course. What reason did I have to lie? It isn’t as if I would have gained anything by doing so.” It seemed as if the rune knight looked uncomfortable, glancing away as he awaited further orders.

A shout came from the crowd, echoing from one of the Council members. “No! Don’t stop trying! With enough persistence, we will kill the black wizard. Take aim, and keep firing. Marvin, get him back on that noose, and don’t let him off until he’s dead!” With widening eyes, Zeref turned to try and reason with this man.

“It won’t work! Please, all you are doing is destroying the one thing keeping me—“

“Don’t listen to the black wizard! He speaks nothing but lies and deceptions. Captain Lahar, create a trap for him around the stage. I don’t care what it does, so long as the black wizard sees that he isn’t as invincible as he thinks he is.” The captain glanced towards Zeref, his jaw clenching for a moment. Slowly, he nodded and stepped away.

“I am sorry for this. It appears as if you will be experiencing pointless suffering for a while.” Lahar whispered quietly. “While you need to face justice, this is not the way to deliver it.”

Shrugging, Zeref let Marvin pull him back towards the noose. “This is the way of humanity, I’ve learned. People refuse to believe the truth, and ultimately, it is their undoing. Wars have been started for far less than this in the past. Fiore should consider itself lucky that I am far more forgiving than history makes me out to be.” 

With the noose replaced, Zeref stood still and awaited further torment. The Council did not seem to have any intention of stopping soon. He just hoped that when the firing continued, the cuff would hold out against that force. If it didn’t, this entire execution would turn into a mass murder, with the only survivor being the criminal that was meant to die.


	47. Unexpected Escape

The firing barrage began once more, while Zeref dangled from the rope on the platform. Bullets tore through the wooden platform itself, and the banister created to hold Zeref in the air. He felt the entire structure shake, making his body sway over the hole created so his feet would not rest on the ground. In the meantime, more bullets tore through his body, pushing his body into more pain and suffering as it started.

With Lahar working on an enchantment, Zeref knew the pain would increase soon. Maybe he shouldn’t have gone into this so calmly. Soon, his magic would be released, simply because the Council refused to acknowledge the truth. He heard the clanging as bullets collided with the steel surface of the cuffs, deepening the cracks that had already begun to form. New ones began to appear on different sides of it. With one more shot, the chain holding his arms together snapped, at least allowing him to move his arms more freely.

Watching, Zeref spotted Lahar at the base of the platform, rising to his feet with a frown on his face. As he stood, the entire platform seemed to become lit with electricity. Lightning danced across the ground, and slowly it began to spike upward towards his body. Weakly searching for the enchantment’s writing, Zeref finally found it. Anyone trapped inside would be electrocuted every time they moved. It was quite effective, he noted, when combined with the forced motion from the firing squad and the swinging rope.

Burns now appeared on his skin, healing in seconds and making him groan slightly. This was becoming one of the more painful attempts to end his life, Zeref noted. Another shot collided with one of the cuffs, making him glance towards it weakly. A few moments longer and they would be destroyed. Closing his eyes, Zeref tried to focus on calming his mind before that happened. However, the pain was making it almost impossible to do so. All of the time he spent meditating was going to be for nothing, he realized.

Shaking, another shot of lightning streaked out towards him and made him gasp in pain again. Another shot collided with him at the same time, as he attempted to risk the pain and warn them. “Get…away…” In response, Lahar’s enchantment activated again. More lightning surrounded his body, making him scream in pain for the first time in years. This was getting to be too much. It had been so long since he attempted crude methods like this to end his life. He had forgotten how painful they could be.

The shocks seemed to affect the cuffs as well. With one last shot, a snap echoed throughout the air. Zeref stilled, at least as much as he could. A headache was forming, a familiar feeling as his magic slowly began to return to him. Pressure built within him, but a partial seal still kept it from releasing. His left arm still had a chain dangling from his wrist, the cuff keeping it attached to his arm. 

Ignoring the shock, Zeref swung his arm behind his back to try and protect the single thing keeping his magic from exploding. As he did so, he heard a shout echo from the crowd. “Stop it! Can’t you see he isn’t dying?” Glancing upwards, Zeref spotted Natsu and felt a light smile flicker across his face. “Let him go, this is just pointless. You’re torturing the guy, and it’s doing nothing!”

His angry outburst didn’t stop a thing. No one payed attention to him, ignoring the dragon slayer as if he weren’t even there. With a growl, Natsu pushed forward through the crowd. Zeref wanted to shout out a warning to him, but another shock flooded his senses and made him groan in pain instead. His head hung forward, despite the rope biting into his neck. It was lolling around, with his strength fading slowly. Healing used up much more magic energy than these people realized, but Zeref couldn’t control that aspect of his magic. If damage continued occurring, his body would heal even if he ran out of magic completely. The same would happen with his death magic. So long as he valued life, even if he had no magic in his body, the death predation would begin and unleash itself on the world around him.

Unable to help himself, Zeref’s right hand lifted and pressed itself into his hair. A shock made his body go stiff in response, his other arm sliding somewhat towards his side from the pain. The pounding in his head was getting worse, begging to be released. “Please…get back…” he begged. 

“Don’t ignore him you bastards!” Natsu shouted, jumping in front of the firing squad. Flames erupted around him, a wall of fire surrounding the dragon slayer as he glared harshly at the wizards. Startled, they stopped firing for a brief moment and stared at the angry fire wizard in front of them. “Now, get the hell away, or I’ll make you get back.”

Slowly, the pain from the shots began to fade as Zeref swayed slightly in the air. “Natsu…” he whispered, smiling lightly. He owed the dragon slayer much for this, but he didn’t expect the final shock that came as his swaying slowed. Lightning coursed over his body, making him gasp and throw his head back. It danced along his skin, burning his neck and face as it trailed over his entire body. A crack echoed in his ears, making him blink and stare behind him at the cuff. Even without the shots, the shock was enough to break the remaining resistance in the material.

The dragon slayer heard the sound, standing up straight with wide eyes. “Run.” he ordered, shoving people ahead of him. Turning back, Natsu spotted Lahar and grabbed the rune knight, shoving him into the crowd carelessly. The captain tripped and stumbled onto the ground, turning his head back to glance towards Zeref. The black wizard had both of his hands buried in his hair now. He cried out, gritting his teeth as the magic finally pushed free from the restraints placed upon him for so long.

A black cloud covered the entire platform, bursting outwards with a force that no one could compete with. It expanded even further, making Zeref grit his teeth and grimace as he saw the spell near Natsu’s form at the edge of the platform. The dragon slayer took a step away from the spell, narrowing his gaze as he watched carefully from the very edge of the spell. Zeref wondered just how many risks that boy was going to take, but slowly, the energy began to die off. The black cloud slowly began to dissipate, the swirling black magic fading away. Wisps seemed to linger in the air for a moment, but people only stared with wide eyes as the black wizard hunched over on the ground. He gasped in pain as yet another shock filled his body, but at least the rest of his pain was gone. At some point, one of the shots had torn through the rope holding him in the air. The shock just now broke through the last resistance left within the rope, letting it snap and allowing Zeref to slump over on the wooden floor.

Not in the mood to suffer any longer, Zeref teleported out of the enchantment Lahar created. Appearing by Natsu’s side, Zeref glared out at the wizards present. Fearfully, they backed away from his proximity. “As I told one of your knights before, I kill when I wish to let people live. Next time, keep that in mind and don’t foolishly break the only thing restraining my magic.” 

Feeling weak and exhausted, Zeref actually found himself pressing a hand to Natsu’s shoulder to stay balanced. The dragon slayer glanced at him, frowning as he studied Zeref for a moment. “Come on, we’re getting out of here.” he stated, grabbing Zeref’s arm and dragging him behind the wizard. 

Hesitating, Zeref let the boy drag his feet as he glanced at the crowd around them. This was going to completely destroy any chance Natsu had of remaining free. “I did not wish to drag you into this.” His voice was quiet, but the dragon slayer still heard.

“You know me, I don’t listen anyway.” Natsu commented, giving him a slight smirk. “Anyway, these guys are being stupid. They won’t let me leave this place, so I would’ve had to break out anyway. At least this way I get to help out a friend in the process.”

With everything happening and how tired he was, Zeref didn’t do much thinking before speaking. “I wish you really were him, Natsu. My brother…” he trailed off, his voice sad and distant.

Blinking, the dragon slayer grinned. “Well, I’d say that’s progress. A big step from insisting we aren’t friends, huh?” 

Blinking, Zeref only smiled and nodded. More determined, Zeref began moving his feet with Natsu’s. The crowd was too stunned to react at first. Lahar moved before anyone else, chasing after them as they attempted to flee. A few shouts were heard as the Council ordered the knights into action. While Zeref may have broken free from his restraints, he had a long way to go before finding true freedom. However, with Natsu by his side, he had no doubt that they would find Zeref’s guild again and return to the task of freeing Mavis from the power of Ankhseram’s Curse. 

Footsteps continued to pound against the ground behind him. “I thought you said you weren’t going to escape, black wizard!” Lahar shouted, further ahead than any of the knights. 

Glancing back, Zeref shrugged. “I stated that I could have escaped if I wished to do so. I simply wasn’t motivated until now.” 

The rune knight captain glanced between Zeref and Natsu, scowling in irritation. “Stop this at once! Natsu, if you do not stop aiding him this instant, you will be under arrest for treason and for harboring an escaped criminal.” It wasn’t entirely the case, but close enough to true that Zeref felt the Council would get away with it.

Glaring, Natsu glanced over his shoulder at the rune knights. “Like I said, you guys wouldn’t understand him at all. I don’t care what he told ya, I’m his friend, and that’s all there is to it. If I have to fight you guys to help him get free, then so be it.” 

The dragon slayer seemed prepared to stop and fight, but Zeref grabbed his arm and shook his head. Battle was not the answer, not right now. With an entire army of rune knights after them, Natsu’s power alone would not stop them. Perhaps Zeref could do so, but his magic would mean killing them all. It wasn’t something he could do casually, and at the moment, the threat didn’t warrant such an attack.

From within the crowd, Zeref spotted an outburst of magic. “Oh, pardon me. I meant to hit Zeref, didn’t I?” God Serena questioned, laughing brightly as he sent another wave of elemental magic into the crowd. His first attack had been lightning, but now the wizard saint moved on to water.

“Wait, he’s helping you?” Natsu questioned, glancing at Zeref.

Nodding, Zeref spoke under his breath so other wouldn’t hear. “He’s one of the Spriggan Twelve, like August.” With that, the dragon slayer snorted and shook his head.

“The Council’s stupid if they can’t figure that out.” he commented, shaking his head. 

Only nodding in agreement, Zeref let God Serena deal with delaying the main force chasing them. A few wizard saints moved to restrain their fellow Council member, insisting that his attacks were unnecessary at the moment. As they did so, a massive tree grew within the center of the army, with a familiar face rising on one of the branches. “I finally captured the black wizard!” Warrod shouted to the army.

A few paused, looking relieved and staring up at the wizard saint with smiles on their faces. “Just kidding!” he added, laughing in amusement.

Grimacing, Zeref reached out telepathically to his former student. Warrod, this isn’t necessary. Do not get yourself in as much trouble as I am at the moment. It would do neither of us any good. The man smiled at him in response, waving as Zeref began vanishing from sight.

It is the least I can do, for everything you’ve done for us. If she were here, Mavis would be proud to see what you’ve done for her guild. They are more of a family now than they have ever been, and that is not her doing, Zeref. That is your doing. His response echoed in Zeref’s mind, making him frown and shake his head. He couldn’t think about Mavis right now, but he could let Warrod make his own choices.

Closing his eyes, Zeref sighed. “Thank you, Warrod.” he whispered. 

Still, he heard footsteps chasing after them even after two wizard saints intervened to distract the force behind them. Lahar was still there, and as Natsu finally stopped to turn back, they noticed that he was alone. “You’ve got no chance, Lahar. It’s just you against the two of us, and if I’m being honest, I don’t even need Zeref to handle you.” Natsu warned, crossing his arms over his chest.

The three of them had come quite a ways, Zeref noted. Trees were around them, blocking them from the view of any knights still attempting to chase after them. Glancing at Lahar, Zeref could see that the man had nothing on him to communicate with his allies. Sensing for magic, it became clear that he was no telepath either. Lahar was alone, and with only enchantments to fight with, he was at a disadvantage. With Natsu by his side, Zeref calmly gazed at the rune knight. He did not wish for a fight, but he had a feeling it would be unavoidable. Lahar simply didn't know when to give up, and right now, it would be his undoing.


	48. An Unexpected Complication

“It has to be around here somewhere.” A voice interrupted Zeref’s thoughts, and startled all of them before a single one of them could move. That voice was familiar, though, and it did not belong here. Glancing back, Zeref’s gaze narrowed at the familiar cloak and scarf around the man near them. His entire face was hidden beneath that scarf, and a hat that was pulled down to cover his hair and his forehead. The only thing visible through all of it was his eyes, and that was only if someone attempted to focus hard on his face.

Behind the man’s back, a set of staves were sheathed, ready for use at a moment’s notice. “Mystogan…what are you doing here?” The wizard blinked, staring at Zeref with just as much shock.

“Master? Isn’t this near Era?” Mystogan paused, glancing to see the rune knight behind him. “It appears as if you were causing trouble already.” Lifting a hand, Zeref knew what Mystogan was planning to do. Sighing, Zeref shook his head and grabbed his wrist to stop him.

“He already knows. Sleep magic won’t stop anything now.” Observing them, both Lahar and Natsu were blinking in surprise.

Unlike Natsu, though, Lahar seemed to recognize the name at least. “Mystogan…Fairy Tail’s S-Class wizard, whose face has never been seen. I knew we didn’t have you captured with the guild, but I never expected to encounter you here.” The rune knight captain pushed his glasses further up his nose. “Your master is under arrest, for numerous crimes against the country. Currently, he is trying to escape his punishment and must be brought back into custody.”

The logical presentation of facts was not going to work on Mystogan. While most of his guild didn’t realize the truth, Zeref knew of his true story to some extent. Mystogan had come to him long ago, claiming to be on a mission to stop Fiore from losing all of its magic to another world. Zeref hadn’t quite understood the details of all of it, but he granted the boy entrance to the guild for his work. In a way, Mystogan had reminded him of himself. He had secrets to keep and was always on the run, leading to a rather isolated and lonely existence.

With the debt owed to Zeref, Mystogan would not betray him easily. “That is not my concern.” Mystogan stated calmly. “All of you, we should be getting away from this place. It is dangerous here.”

This was alarming to Zeref, based on what he knew of Mystogan’s mission. He was searching for something that drained magic away from their world, and into another. Something like that could likely serve as a portal of sorts, too. Nodding, he began to get ready to move, but Lahar grabbed his arm and glared harshly at him. “We aren’t going anywhere. I’ve caught you, black wizard. Now, it is time to return so we can finish delivering your sentence.” 

Scoffing, Natsu rolled his eyes and pulled Zeref away. The black wizard was feeling oddly like the rope in a game of tug of war at the moment. It was not a pleasant feeling. “Not going to happen. Didn’t you hear him before? Zeref’s immortal, so you can’t exactly kill him.” 

Scowling, Lahar crossed his arms over his chest. “No, but we can determine a way to separate him from his curse. They aren’t unbreakable, and after ending it, we can then carry out his sentence.” This made Zeref chuckle darkly, shaking his head.

“You don’t even comprehend what it is you are attempting to fight back against.” he informed the man. “All you know is that my curse grants immortality. Do you truly think that is all it does?”

Mystogan followed their conversation for a moment, but interrupted before Lahar could reply. “This is foolish. Master, you need to leave, now. I can feel it…the anima is getting closer…”

With those words, Mystogan began to pull staves from his back and placed them on the ground. They formed a circle of some kind, sticking up into the air in an odd formation as Mystogan stood at the edge of his tools. With his hands held outward, he seemed to be waiting for something before acting. “No…it is too big…I can’t…” Mystogan glanced back at the wizard behind him, grimacing before pulling something out of his pocket.

“I do not know where we will end up.” Mystogan began, watching as Natsu frowned at the bottle in his grip. Inside were small pills of some form, though Zeref did not know what they were for. “Find me when we arrive. Make sure you take one of those pills as well. And as for the rune knight…where we are going, we are not enemies in the slightest. It will require teamwork if we wish to succeed in escaping safely, especially with Zeref accompanying us.”

Frowning, Zeref wondered why he was an issue. However, Lahar seemed to frown at Mystogan for a moment, studying the man closely. “I am not your ally, it is my job to ensure that justice is carried out….however, your voice…you couldn’t possibly be Siegrain, could you?”

“Siegrain?” Mystogan questioned, glancing towards Zeref. “I expected to be mistaken as another in this world, however, that is not the name I thought I would be known as. Perhaps when we arrive, you will understand more.”

Making a note to look into this council member, Zeref nodded and stared up at the sky. Something dark was coming in to the area, a black cloud growing and expanding above them. He could feel the dark energy coming from the spell. In a way, it felt similar to the eclipse gate. The magic was powerful and strong, but designed to open a pathway from one point to another. It existed in this world here, but the other end was tied to another world, rather than another time. 

Already swallowing a pill, Natsu glanced around at the others with a frown. He moved to hand off the bottle, but at that moment, something shuddered in the air. “What the hell is that thing?” Natsu questioned, while Zeref frowned.

“As Mystogan said, it is an anima. He’s been working on stopping them, but it appears as if this one came too suddenly for him to prevent it.” The Fairy Tail wizard nodded in agreement, looking grim as the wind picked up. Lightning seemed to dance within the gray cloud swirling above them as the energy began to spike in the air. “To put it simply, it will take us to another world.”

Lahar gasped, his eyes wide as he was tugged off of his feet. All of them seemed to be getting lifted into the air. In the distance, Zeref thought he could hear screams as people attempted to run to safety. He felt Mystogan by his side, his staves hovering with him as his hood was thrown down by the wind. Staring at the man, he truly was identical in appearance to the council member Lahar had mentioned. There had to be a reason behind it, though Zeref didn’t have time to consider it much further. A bright flash of light flooded his vision, blinding him. Then, he felt as if he were suspended in time for a moment. Nothing existed around him, and he was hovering in an area of nothingness. 

Blinking his eyes open, Zeref glanced around at a gray landscape, just as devoid as life as his surroundings usually were. For a moment, he seemed to be in a strange world. Glancing around, Zeref found it oddly familiar. The grayness around him, and the blank sight of the sky…he slowly began to freeze, sitting up straight. This was the realm he had seen, when Ankhseram cursed him. It had been a brief moment, a single flash of another world with a face hovering in his mind. A warning, telling him to cease his interference in the balance of the world. Then, nothing before he woke up.

The sight left him breathing hard, panicking. He had to get out, before something worse occurred. He looked for an exit, but saw none. However, as his panic rose, the world around him seemed to lose tangibility. Everything began to fall away, fading into nothing until he, too, was falling. 

Breathing hard, Zeref’s eyes flashed open yet again. Whatever that had been, it wasn’t reality. Here, however, was a different story. Sitting up, Zeref glanced around at new surroundings. It looked like a desert of some kind. Sand filled the ground, and the sun beat down on them from a blue sky. Clouds were sparse and few in between, as were trees and animals. There was no sign of civilization, but glancing around, Zeref could see his companions. They had gotten lucky, it seemed. None of them were separated, and at the moment, they truly needed all the help they could get.

The others looked like they were just recovering as well, though none of them were as shaken as Zeref had been. Maybe the gods lived in the place between worlds, he reasoned. It would allow them to watch over all realms, and not just their own. Perhaps he would look into it later, but for now, he had to focus on determining just what this world was like. 

Turning towards Mystogan, he determined that this was the best choice for answers. “We’re here.” he stated calmly, glancing towards his guild master. “Welcome to Edolas, the land without magic.”

Those words echoed in his mind, making Zeref become still. There was no magic here. Glancing at his hands, Zeref wasn’t sure if he could believe it or not. Normally, there was a restless energy within him that constantly put him on edge. He couldn’t relax at home as a result, with the curse constantly reminding him that it could explode at any moment. While he hadn’t noticed it at first due to the shock of that in-between world, now he realized that energy was gone. There was no hum in his veins, nothing pushing to explode from beneath his skin.

Glancing around, Zeref spotted a rock buried in the sand. Grabbing it, he quickly pressed it to his wrist, wanting to test his theory. The sharp end cut into his skin, making him frown slightly as blood welled on his arm. Mystogan watched in silence, not stopping his odd actions. Slowly, however, Zeref felt a smile grow on his face. “You are correct…there is no magic at all in this place…” His curse couldn’t reach him here. Maybe there was no need to return, he thought. With this world, he could finally age and die like everyone else. The dripping blood on his arm confirmed as much.

“Hey, don’t get any ideas.” Natsu grumbled from behind them. “Maybe there isn’t magic, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have things to do back home. Do I need to remind you about Mavis?”

That name made Zeref stiffen, shaking his head as he scowled and clenched his hand into a fist. Natsu was right, but he wished he could stay. “I…perhaps you do.” Closing his eyes, Zeref tried to focus on something else. The more he thought about his mortality in this world, the worse off he would be.

Rising to his feet, the rune knight captain glanced between his companions with a frown. “Edolas, you said? I can’t believe it…an entirely different world, where magic doesn’t exist.” Lahar seemed to be stunned by the fact, gazing around with a look of fear and apprehension.

This was something factual, and that would benefit Zeref in many ways. “Yes, that is correct. In fact, even my curse appears to have vanished within this world. Likely, we will have to be more careful than usual here…Mystogan, you said before that I would cause issue here. Is there a particular reason for that?”

Frowning, the blue haired wizard nodded. “It would simply be best to avoid the guards for now. Just as I have a counterpart in Earthland, there is another version of you in this world. Let’s just say…he’s made the queen rather upset, recently.” It didn’t surprise him, Zeref thought. He didn’t typically make friends with others, so it was only expected that his counterpart would upset people as well.

Turning towards Zeref, Lahar scowled in irritation. “It appears as if you cause trouble no matter what world you exist in.” he commented. 

“Actually, he isn’t the problem in this world.” Mystogan corrected. “In reality, the queen has gone mad. She is…attempting to steal magic away from your world. I would rather not discuss the details at the moment, but it is simply best for us to avoid her. If you follow me, I can take us to the nearest town so we can regroup and speak more about what to expect while we are here.”

With no better plans, they began following after the wizard. While Lahar still seemed wary of them, he did not argue against Mystogan’s leadership and followed behind the Fairy Tail wizard. “Very well. Considering the circumstances, it appears as if I have no choice. Our truce is temporary, black wizard. Do not forget that much.”

Smiling, Zeref chuckled lightly and shook his head. “I assure you, it is not something that will be easy to let go of. Then again, you appear to be changing your mind already about me.” With that, the rune knight tensed and focused on the path he was taking. They journeyed in a tense silence from that point on, though Zeref could feel the rune knight’s curious gaze turning towards him every few moments.


	49. A World Without Magic

The nearest town turned out to be the Royal City of Edolas. The entire place was crowded, and massive. Streets were filled with people, walking to and from work. Some of them walked with families, others moved alone. Most of them seemed quite average, though. If he hadn’t been made aware of the lack of magic, Zeref might have just viewed this as another city within Fiore. Buildings lined the busy streets as well, though Mystogan only stopped once they arrived at his destination.

Leading them inside, he quickly approached the counter. “Prince Jellal, you’ve returned!” the woman inside shouted, smiling brightly at him.

This was interesting, Zeref noted. He didn’t comment, though, not wanting to draw much attention. “Yes…though it would be best if my mother doesn’t hear that I’ve come back just yet. After all, I did find a surprise for her.” He didn’t comment much on the surprise, but the woman manning the desk glanced at Zeref and giggled.

“Of course, sweetie. Do you need a room for the night then?” Nodding Mystogan agreed and took the key she offered to him.

Once again, Zeref felt as if there was something he didn’t know that he needed to understand. However, he had no way of learning it, unless he actually encountered this other version of himself. Following after Mystogan, he found himself moving upstairs. This place was an inn, and it seemed to follow the same format of such businesses back in Earthland. Rooms lined the halls, with the key in Mystogan’s hand being the device meant to unlock one of the doors.

Stepping inside, Zeref noted that it was small, considering that there were four of them. Two beds lined the walls, with a small desk in between them. A strange device sat on top of the desk, black and box-like with something resting on it, attached with a chord. Next to the strange object was another mystery. It looked spherical at the base, and then something was placed over the top of it that looked like a shaped piece of cloth, that fanned out like a cylinder. Mystogan walked over to it, touching something within the sphere-like object. The room seemed to burst into light at his touch, the object looking more like a lacrima designed for light now.

Sitting down on the edge of one of the beds, Mystogan waited for the others to join him. Taking a seat next to Mystogan, Lahar frowned and gazed at Zeref calmly. Seeing that he was still distrusted, Zeref sat across from them on the other bed. Natsu joined him, and they sat watching Mystogan for answers. “As I stated before, there is no magic in this world.” he began. “At least, not in the sense that you are used to. It is scarce and limited, only channeled through objects and not through your own body.”

It wasn’t entirely impossible, Zeref decided. If ethernano was weak in the air, objects could still be enchanted, even if the human body could not absorb the energy required for magic. “At first, those objects were free for grabs. Anyone who claimed one was allowed to keep it…though we did have our own law enforcement similar in nature to the rune knights watching over them. Magical weapons were registered with the government so they could be monitored, but crime was fairly low and people lived at peace.”

Glancing away, Mystogan began to look troubled. “Then, the queen…lost someone important to her. Incapable of reasoning through her grief, she demanded more protection. Anyone with a magical weapon was forced to join her army, and they were trained to become a part of the Imperial Guard. They serve her every order, and watch for any dissidents claiming magic for themselves. To my knowledge, they have already eliminated any guilds that existed in this land. No one can stand against her might…and anyone that stood a chance has already been eliminated. Now, we live in fear of our own ruler, though we pretend to be peaceful. She promises to bring magic to this world, but she does not tell the public at what cost it comes at.”

This angered Zeref. His instructors had failed to properly explain the cost of the magic he had been toying with years ago. Now, he was immortal and killed everyone around him. Sometimes, it was better to reveal a painful truth, rather than hide it to avoid anger from the public. “She wishes to essentially trade places with Earthland…providing her world with magic, while ours goes to a time when none exists.” Mystogan nodded in response to Zeref’s comment.

“I am sorry, but how does this concern us?” Lahar questioned. “As tragic as it may be, our first priority should be returning home.”

Thinking about it, Zeref wondered just how to do such a thing. “Likely it concerns us do to the capability of returning. Such a task will likely require magic. In order to obtain it…we have two options, from what I can see. Either we challenge this queen and steal the device she is using to create this link between our worlds…or we let her succeed, and use magic afterwords to return home.” The second option would result in a lot of patience required, unless this queen was close to success. In addition, it would mean sacrificing all magic in their world, simply to obtain a way of returning. To Lahar, Zeref already knew which option he would be more inclined to take.

“You would consider forsaking your own world? Earthland without magic…we may as well give everyone a death sentence. Even those without that power rely heavily on magic in their daily lives.” Lahar insisted, glaring at Zeref.

Shaking his head, Zeref turned away. “I was not siding with either option, Captain. I was simply stating our options. Reasoning through them however…I must admit, I hold no love for magic these days. It causes me nothing but pain and suffering, something you’ve only briefly witnessed. Yet…there are other reasons I have for needing it to remain. I do not know how it would affect…and then there is Acnologia…” Zeref trailed off, glancing towards Natsu with wide eyes. 

This was a land without magic. That meant that the seal should cease to exist, but it hadn’t. Reaching over, Zeref pressed a hand to Natsu’s shoulder, closing his eyes and trying to sense for anything. Unfortunately, this world rendered his ability to detect magic useless. Instead, he pulled back and attempted to reason through what had happened. Enchantments, or seals, worked through the initial fuel they had been given when first cast. Then, as they weakened, they drew upon the surrounding energy to continue going. The main difference between an enchantment on a person and a curse was the source of that energy. Rather than draining the wizard, enchantments drew upon ethernano in the air to remain active.

Glancing towards them, Zeref narrowed his eyes. “Actually, I realize now that we do not have enough time to wait. There is no other option. We will take away the device used to create the anima.” The others watched him, frowning in confusion.

Even Natsu looked lost, glancing at him with a frown. “What do I have to do with that? You looked kind of funny before…and you kept staring at me…” Natsu sounded a bit uncomfortable, frowning. 

Hesitating, Zeref realized he may have given away too much now. “It…it appears as if this may be the only place I can safely reveal this.” he commented, glancing around. “However, do not even think about mentioning this when we return, Natsu, no matter what situation presents itself. The same goes for you, Lahar. If you’ve ever even heard the name Acnologia, you would understand why this must be kept hidden.”

Frowning, the rune knight seemed to try and recall the name. “It sounds familiar…wasn’t Acnologia the king of dragons?” 

Nodding, Zeref looked grim. “Yes, that did end up becoming his title. To this day, Acnologia still lives, and if he were to attack…not even I could stop him.” Zeref paused, glancing towards Natsu. “Centuries ago, a plan was formed to deal with him. With the help of a celestial wizard and a group of dragons, we determined that there was no way of defeating him in our time. So, I went back to an old project of mine…and completed it. Using time travel, we sent our last hope into the future, to wait for the day when Acnologia would be weak enough to defeat.”

“I don’t get it, what does this have to do with me?” Natsu questioned.

Closing his eyes, Zeref folded his hands together and leaned forward. “You were one of the ones sent forward in time, Natsu. In fact, based on what I’ve heard, you arrived in this time stream about seven years ago…on the day you believe Igneel to have vanished.” Realization seemed to dawn on the dragon slayer, his eyes growing wide. 

Frowning, Lahar crossed his arms over his chest. “Time travel does not explain why we are on a time limit at the moment. Regardless of if Natsu must face this…Acnologia sometime soon or not, it can wait for us to find a proper method of returning without harming the people of this world.” 

Chuckling, Zeref shook his head. “Ah, but Natsu isn’t exactly the one we wished to send forward in time. In fact, the dragon slayers were simply a back-up plan, in case our main goal failed. To put it simply, they all acted as vessels to help transport our true weapon to this time.” Glancing towards Natsu, Zeref tilted his head slightly. “On all of them an enchantment was placed, sealing a dragon inside all of them. In our world, there is no issue. It sustains itself, using the ethernano around them. However, here, there is nothing to keep the enchantment intact. If we remain too long…we will be introducing the people of Edolas to a dragon, and I do not think they would take too kindly to that.”

Touching his chest, Natsu seemed to look stunned. He didn’t speak at first, shaking slightly as he glanced at his legs. However, he still recovered enough after a few moments to talk. “Igneel…is inside of me? You enchanted him…” Natsu broke off, glancing away before seeming to frown in thought. “That’s why…you kept saying strength didn’t matter, that I would meet him when the time was right…damn it! Why couldn’t I….” Tears seemed to threaten to fall from his eyes, and it was a feeling Zeref understood well.

Sighing, he shook his head. “Loss is an inevitable part of life, Natsu. The sooner you accept that, the better off you’ll be.” The dragon slayer didn’t look any more pleased with it, making Zeref try again. “Igneel didn’t wish to leave you, Natsu. None of the dragons did…however, if they didn’t, no one would exist to stop Acnologia. All of us planned this long ago, and we all knew it would be hard on you. However, I was meant to be here…when you arrived again. My job is to find that proper time for the seal to break…though, Acnologia has been oddly quiet lately.” This time, Natsu seemed to nod and accept it, though he was still quiet and thoughtful over what he had learned.

Looking alarmed, Lahar watched him with wide eyes. “Centuries…you’ve been planning a battle with a dragon…for centuries?” he demanded.

Shrugging, Zeref leaned back. “I am immortal. I did not imagine I would die before they arrived from the past.” 

Glancing between them, Mystogan interrupted before it could go much further. “Regardless, that means we are in a hurry to deal with this. Master, this isn’t Earthland, you can’t pretend to be invincible and think people will follow your orders here. If you are seen…well, it is likely you will be dragged before the queen on sight.”

“Since we are planning on fighting her, does it really matter if that happens?” Natsu questioned.

Looking away, Mystogan hesitated. “Yes…I think it does. In fact, if it comes down to a fight…it would be best if Master is not involved at all in the matter.” 

No one knew what he meant by that. “Are you afraid of him killing her? I assure you, as a rune knight captain, I will make sure Zeref does not cause any harm to your family.” Lahar’s logic was sound, though Mystogan was likely not concerned about that.

Proving Zeref’s thoughts, Mystogan shook his head. “That will not be the issue. Let’s just say that things will not end well if they meet.” 

This made Zeref wonder just who this queen was. There were few people that would give him pause to see, even in this world. Maybe it went back to whatever his other self had done to the queen, but for now, he would settle with what he was being given. “He will not tell you why, Lahar. My guild has learned from me how to dodge answers…it is easy to notice when they are trying to hide something from me.” Zeref stated calmly.

The rune knight captain glanced at him, looking confused. “How can you stay so calm? A member of your own guild is telling you what to do.” There was irritation in Lahar’s gaze, a sign of a man used to being in charge.

Turning towards Mystogan, Zeref smiled. “He is far more knowledgable about this world than I am. Had we found ourselves in the Alvarez Empire, perhaps I would be insulted to find him ordering me around, but instead, we find ourselves in his realm. From what we’ve heard thus far, Mystogan is a prince here, and thus, royalty. If anyone has the authority to get us into the place where the anima is created, it would be him.”

“I don’t have access.” Mystogan stated bluntly, leaning forward. “She banned me from that room, quite some time ago. I was adopted into the family, you see, and when I voiced my opinion on what she was doing…she grew rather upset, claiming I was just like Zeref Dragion.” 

The altered last name was not lost on Zeref, though it did make Natsu pause and frown at him. “Dragion? That’s your last name?” The dragon slayer was focused on Zeref who shook his head.

“No, that is the last name of the Zeref in this world.” he replied calmly, seeing even Lahar look curious. Sighing, Zeref closed his eyes. “My name isn’t important, dealing with getting home is.”

“Of course.” Lahar commented, frowning. “I just…you are a mystery, to all of us. No one knows what you’ve been doing for the last three hundred years. Excuse us for being mildly curious.” He paused for a moment, looking a bit nervous before going on. “With your sentence…you claimed to have unfinished work back in our world. I…so long as it is legal, I could look into ensuring that it is completed, after your sentence is carried out.”

It was the first time Lahar had offered to do anything kind for him, but it wasn’t what Zeref wanted from the man. Grimly smiling, Zeref shook his head. “Unless you are capable of saving someone trapped in a death-like state, there is nothing you can do.” Lahar blinked in surprise as Zeref tilted his back up towards the rune knight. “You asked me before, if I was attempting to resurrect Mavis. I told you no because to put it simply, she isn’t exactly dead. The matter is far more complex than I care to explain at the moment, though.”

With that, Lahar glanced away and frowned. “You…you really aren’t trying to destroy the world. How could the Council be so wrong about you?” 

“I’ve created demons…my magic kills everything around me…if I were them, I would believe the same thing.” Glancing towards the window on the wall behind Lahar and Mystogan, Zeref sighed. “Most people don’t bother to look at the reasons behind our actions. Sometimes, the action is all that matters, and once it has happened, forgiveness becomes impossible. Nothing can atone for the things I’ve done, Captain. I don’t expect anyone to forgive me, and at the moment, I simply wish to find a path to peace.”

He didn’t add that he interpreted peace as death. Some things were better left unsaid, considering all they had seen. “For tonight, it would be best to get some rest. It is getting dark, and we have a lot of work to do if we plan on infiltrating the castle to obtain the queen’s anima creator.” Mystogan glanced at them, nodding and rising to his feet. “I’ll take the couch.”

Staring at the others, Zeref rose to his feet and moved as well. He had no plans on sleeping tonight, anyway, though he was feeling oddly drowsy. It wasn’t a sensation he was used to. As he moved to sit by the wall, gazing up at the window where the moon shone through, he felt his eyes drifting shut against his will. Lahar and Natsu were leaning down in their respective beds, but Zeref remained seated, leaning against the wall. Slowly, he fell asleep and drifted into nothingness, where dreams of death and a magic-free life filled his senses with a feeling of contentment.


	50. Thoughts of Contradictions

Waking up, Zeref blinked at the sight of light streaming in through the window. He wondered just why he felt so tired, before he remembered that his curse was not active anymore. He lost his ability to go for months without sleep, he realized. Yawning slightly, Zeref stretched and gazed around the room. It was hard to remember the last time he had felt the need to sleep this strongly, and for some reason, the thought made him smile. He was liking Edolas more every second, but it was impossible for him to stay.

His side ached from sleeping against the wall last night. Something about the way he had slumped over left his back sore as well, an unfamiliar feeling to the black wizard. Not only that, but his wrist was bothering him. He touched the scab from the spot where he had cut into his own skin, still marveling over how it had yet to heal. Such wonders were things he had taken for granted centuries ago. Right now, he was going to value them as much as he could.

Seeing that the others were still asleep, Zeref rose to his feet quietly. Mystogan warned him against being seen, but Zeref needed to do something for now. He had to go out and enjoy his new mortality, and the fact that he could once again be around others without fear. Simply grabbing breakfast for the group would not cause any harm, he decided. 

Taking one of the keys with him, Zeref quietly stepped outside of the room. As he did so, he heard the sound of footsteps following him. “What are you doing?” Lahar demanded, standing behind him with his arms crossed over his chest.

Turning towards the rune knight, Zeref realized he had been incorrect in assuming his companions were all asleep. “I dislike being idle for too long. Being alone with my thoughts rarely does me any good…so I decided I would be useful and find breakfast at the very least.” 

Raising an eyebrow, Lahar moved to step by his side. “Then I will join you. You are still in our custody, after all. I cannot allow you to escape no matter where we may be.” That made Zeref smile and shake his head slightly. The rune knight captain paused for a moment as they walked towards the stairs, hesitating before glancing at Zeref. “Just what thoughts trouble you so much? From what I had heard, you didn’t have issues when imprisoned in Era.”

“That was when I found myself meditating. It is often how I calm my mind…though, it did me little good and I no longer have much hope in it having much effect on what occurs around me.” It was supposed to help contain his curse, but it still created a massive outburst when the seals broke on his cuffs. “As such, I find it difficult to put my mind in that state at the moment…so instead, I often find myself lost in memories. If you knew of what was contained within my memories…perhaps you would understand my desire to avoid them.”

At the moment, Zeref saw little harm in talking to the rune knight captain. Mystogan had a valid point when they first began to leave Earthland. They were not enemies in this world, and even back home, he had no reason to hate Lahar for performing his job. “Memories of Mavis?” Lahar seemed hesitant to ask the question, but Zeref had come to realize that his curiosity often overcame his fear.

Nodding quietly, Zeref smiled as they walked past the woman at the front desk again. “Mostly. Sometimes, though, it is memories of my family.” This made Lahar glance at him, as if seeing something for the first time.

“You’ve lived for so long…they’re all dead. You’re…alone, aren’t you?” There was a pain in his voice, as if he understood the feeling. Nodding, Zeref let the man continue for now. “I…I must admit, I often find myself much the same. My focus and devotion to my job leaves me with no friends…and my family died during a plague that came to our town when I was young. The doctors couldn’t help them, and nor could I, but I thought that…if I just knew more about magic, maybe I could have healed them. If I knew how to heal with that power, I could prevent tragedy for others.”

This was sounding like a potentially dark path, if he took it too far. Zeref gazed at the rune knight with sharp eyes, hesitating before speaking. “Healing is a lost magic.” he commented softly.

Nodding, Lahar looked grim. “It is, and as such, I didn’t manage to learn it. Everything I read told me nothing…the most I found was information stating that resurrection was impossible. So, I looked into something else that might be able to help with magic. That was when I found Jutsu Shiki, a type of magic where I can create rules and control everything within a specific area. With the right rules, it could help heal and protect those I cared for…but by that time, there was no one left to care for. Instead, I turned to my mentor for guidance. My instructor in magic was a rune knight, and he began introducing me to them at a young age, trying to give me something to fight for.”

Familiar with the feeling, Zeref found himself nodding in agreement. “My instructors tried to do the same for me…perhaps if I had listened to them, things may have turned out differently.” This made Lahar pause, frowning in confusion towards Zeref.

After a moment, he shook off whatever question was on his mind and kept going. “Actually, it was a trip to your empire that solidified my resolve. Our princess came face to face with August and Invel of the Spriggan Twelve, since you were not present to negotiate trading terms. I was there with my mentor, observing and learning the job from him as a part of her guard. Simply being near them….well, I’m sure you know what it feels like.” Smiling, Zeref nodded. “Our princess didn’t even react, though. She held her head high, and simply sat down to begin. It showed me just how strong our country could be…and made me believe that it was something that had to be protected at all costs.”

“I did not expect you to reveal so much to me.” Zeref commented, unsure of what Lahar wanted from him.

The rune knight captain smiled ruefully, shaking his head. “Nor did I, though things often change. Based on what I’ve gathered, I had pinned you down as a villain, when perhaps you are simply misunderstood. I thought that maybe by trusting you, I could gain some of your own trust in return.”

While the story had done nothing to endear him to Zeref in that sense, his response did. The honesty in Lahar’s voice made Zeref realize that this was a man who disliked deception, much like himself. Thinking about his story as well, Zeref couldn’t help but find similarities to his own as well. “I suppose it will matter little in the end. After all, I am supposed to die when we return.” His calm way of speaking of his death seemed to make Lahar uncomfortable, but he moved on.

They were walking through the streets of the Royal City now, unsure of exactly where they were going at the moment. “As we discussed before, my entire family died long ago. However, I did not react nearly as well as you did with their loss. Among them…was merely a baby, my little brother, Natsu.” Lahar blinked in surprise, while Zeref gave him a half-smile. “I’ve often wondered if that is why I’ve grown somewhat attached to the dragon slayer here, but it is practically impossible for them to be one and the same. You see, my brother and family were slain by dragons. I returned home and found their bodies myself.”

“So that’s why you’re so fond of him. I wondered why that was, considering how you seem to trust no one other than yourself.” Lahar watched as Zeref nodded, sighing.

“You stopped when you discovered the impossibility of resurrection. I did not.” This made Lahar turn towards him with wide eyes. “Back then, more was known about the taboo of bringing back the dead. Gods were still worshipped to some degree, though they were slowly being forgotten about. Altering the balance between life and death…it wasn’t that it was impossible, but more so that it would anger the gods, specifically, Ankhseram. My instructors insisted that I should stop my attempts to bring back my family, but I had nothing else to focus on. War filled our world, and I was entirely alone. All I wanted was to give Natsu the chance to live the life that had been stolen from him…my baby brother who had died long before his time.”

Lahar was thinking hard, his gaze locked on Zeref as his eyes widened. “Your curse…did attempting to save them bring it about?”

From what he had stated, it seemed like the logical answer. Smiling, Zeref nodded. “It did. The curse I bear…it is known by two names. The first is Ankhseram’s Curse, after the god of life and death. The second is based on the true purpose of the curse…the Curse of Contradictions.” Turning his head, Zeref glanced at Lahar as they passed by a family on the street. “As I stated before, my entire life is nothing but contradictions…and this is why. The more I value life, the more I am forced to take it away. That is the true essence of my curse…and there is little I can do to change it. Centuries of attempting to end my life have failed, and all I have left is the hope of fixing my biggest mistake yet.”

There was a shock in Lahar’s gaze, making Zeref realize the man had never realized his magic and his immortality were linked through the curse. “Your curse…forces you to kill. The black magic we sensed at the magic shop, and the outburst at Era…it was never your intention to harm anyone. That was what you were trying to tell us…and no one would listen.” He sounded horrified, but Zeref didn’t mind. It was common for people to ignore his warning. Ultimately, they paid the price as a result, too.

They walked in silence for a while, before Lahar had another question for him. “I…understand if you don’t wish to speak of it, but I have to ask. What is this mistake you mention?” 

Taking a deep breath, Zeref realized he should have expected this to come. “Mavis.” he stated softly. “I…she came to me, while I was in a bad place. Unlike anyone I had ever met, though, she managed to give me something to focus on other than finding death. For the first time in centuries I wanted to live again…and it was all because of her. She asked for me to teach her and her friends magic…and I agreed.” Sighing, he turned away and stared at the ground. “I suppose you could say everything that happened was my fault, then. I know I blame myself…in the end, I was the reason she died. If only I had turned her away, and refused to teach her…perhaps she would still be alive.”

“You said she was alive, didn’t you?”

Nodding, Zeref lifted his head towards the sky instead. “I did. You see, part of what I taught Mavis was an incomplete black magic spell. She was forced to use it in her battle…and as a result, she gained the same curse I have.” Lahar blinked in surprise, watching as Zeref gave him a dark smile. “However, I discovered the one thing that even immortality cannot stop. You see, realizing that she was just as immortal as I was, I thought I had found the one person who would never leave me. After three hundred years of isolation and loneliness, I had hope. I loved her…and as such, she had to die. At the same time, she was immortal, so she could not be killed.”

Lahar didn’t need to ask anymore questions about what happened then. “That’s…so, she’s immortal, yet affected by your own curse?” It sounded so strange, but it was the only way to truly describe it.

“I have to free her…that was my mission ever since that day. It is what has driven me, and prevented me from seeking out further death. This is why I need Fairy Tail, Captain. Without them, no one will be there to keep me on this path, and if I leave it behind…I will likely return to creating demons in the hopes that one will be powerful enough to destroy me.”

Staring at Lahar, Zeref felt oddly vulnerable at the moment. Few heard the entire story of his past. In fact, he hadn’t even revealed it all to Natsu. Never did he expect do give his story to a rune knight, much less the one in charge of tracking him down. “Well, then be glad that Fairy Tail has been released from Era. Should they find reason to pardon you when we return…or should you escape, they will be out there to help you.”

The rune knight captain was avoiding his gaze, looking troubled as he scowled at the street before them. “Damn it.” he growled, shaking his head. “I had thought this would be easier. My intention had been to allow us to work together while we were here, yet after hearing all of that…I don’t know what is the right thing to do anymore. Serving my country means I should arrest you, yet you don’t sound like someone who deserves to be punished.”

“Congratulations, Lahar.” Zeref stated with mild amusement. The man blinked at him, looking surprised. “You’ve finally come to your first moment where you can relate to me, the first contradiction within your own mind. It is an odd feeling, is it not? Desiring two opposite actions, yet not knowing which one to follow through on.”

Closing his eyes, Lahar chuckled in amusement. “Perhaps you are right. Either way, that’s a problem to deal with in the future, not right now. Let’s go find a place to get some food, because I’m certain our dragon slayer friend back at the inn is going to be starving when he wakes up.” Nodding in agreement, Zeref followed the rune knight captain into a store nearby. Things were going to be interesting on this journey, Zeref noted. Maybe he would find a reason to go back at the end, because now, he had yet another person who understood just how vital it was for Zeref to follow through on his goal of saving Mavis.


	51. A Plan for Relocation

Returning back to the room, Lahar and Zeref came in with boxes of donuts in tow. With their limited knowledge of town, the best they had managed to find was a bakery just down the street, carrying pastries and sweets of all kinds. Based on the fact that he had little knowledge of what everyone wanted, Zeref decided to go with a bit of variety. Luckily, money from Fiore was still valid here in some form, and was accepted at the bakery. However, he had to keep in mind that funds were limited in this world. Perhaps he should find a way to earn some money while they were here, so that they could survive a little while longer without aid from others in this world.

Placing the box on the couch, Zeref sat on the floor and turned to see Mystogan getting up. The shower in the bathroom was running, and based on the sight of the absent dragon slayer, Natsu was the one using it. Pulling the lid off, Zeref held the box out towards Mystogan silently. There were a few bagels mixed within the donuts, in case Mystogan or Natsu wished for a healthier option for their meal. Glancing at the options, Mystogan selected a blueberry bagel, carefully tearing off a piece and taking a bite.

After swallowing, he glanced towards Zeref with a scowl. “Where did you two go?”

Turning towards Lahar, Zeref shrugged. Without really looking at what he was grabbing, Zeref pulled something out of the box to snack on himself. “To grab food. I assumed we’d need to eat while we were here.” Zeref’s calm response only seemed to agitate Mystogan further.

“I told you, you can’t go around walking like normal! This isn’t Earthland, Zeref!” he shouted, rising to his feet. The man paced for a moment, his bagel looking somewhat crushed in his grip. “People saw you today, so we can’t stay here for long. Word will get to her that you’ve been spotted…and then we’ll be in real trouble.”

Taking a glazed donut, Lahar began to take a bite and eat himself. Glancing blandly towards Mystogan, he didn’t seem to be nearly as concerned as before. “If you simply explained the situation, perhaps we would see the reason for being so cautious. As it stands, I went out to ensure that he remained safe in town, and nothing occurred that seems to be out of the ordinary.” Unless you considered a rather revealing conversation between the two of them, Zeref thought.

“I told you, the queen would have him arrested!” Mystogan paused, frowning for a moment before shaking his head. “Well, perhaps that isn’t entirely the right word, but it is close enough. She is searching for him, and once she gets her hands on the man she believes to be her Zeref, she will never let him leave her sight again.”

“Her Zeref?” Zeref questioned, the phrasing throwing him off. The idea of anyone having ownership of him like that just seemed strange, to say the least.

The rune knight captain’s gaze narrowed as well, before slowly gazing between Zeref and Mystogan. “How much of your past does your guild know of?” Lahar questioned, sounding somewhat suspicious.

Before Zeref could reply, the water shut off in the bathroom and the door burst open. Walking out was Natsu, wrapped in a towel with his scarf slung over his shoulder. “Yo, what’d I miss? Smells like food, did you guys save me some?”

Silently, Zeref handed him the box and let the dragon slayer choose his breakfast. As he had expected, the dragon slayer grabbed three donuts in one hand, picking a chocolate glazed one first to start eating. “Welcome back Zeref. I was wondering what was up with you two. Glad to see he wasn’t stupid and trying to kill you or anything while we slept.” This was emphasized with a pointed look at Lahar.

Shaking his head, Lahar sighed. “I had no intention of harming him in this world. Based on what little knowledge we have, he is likely our best method of getting out of this place. If anyone can determine how to use magic in a world without such a power, it would be the black wizard.” He didn’t mention Zeref’s attempts at resurrection either, but it was an unspoken message between them. Zeref still found this odd connection between them mildly disturbing, but he didn’t comment on it yet.

“You do realize that your suggestion is impossible, right?” Mystogan questioned, sounding a bit baffled.

Smiling, Lahar shook his head. “Impossible isn’t the word I was looking for. More accurately, such an action would be quite contradictory, wouldn’t you agree?” His gaze turned towards Zeref who couldn’t help but chuckle in response. As disturbing as this was, it was more pleasant than feeling as if the man might kill him at any moment.

Natsu watched the two of them, frowning as he paused in eating. He had already downed the first two donuts, but he was still working on the third. “What the hell happened with you two? If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were friends or something.”

“We came to an understanding, of sorts, while we were out.” Zeref stated after a few moments. “For now, we will not be debating what will happen when we return. Our entire focus is on escaping this realm…and for that, we need to know where we are looking to break into.”

Nodding, Mystogan stopped pacing and turned to face them. “No, before that, we need to find someplace else to stay. Since you went out in public, there will be guards searching for your face in town.” Mystogan insisted.

“As I stated before, we were discrete while we were out. No one questioned his presence, nor did we attract any unusual amount of attention.” Lahar insisted. 

Pressing a hand to his forehead, Mystogan seemed to look troubled by his insistence. “I don’t care. It is better to be safe than sorry. We’ve all had a long trip to the Royal City, but if we hurry, we can make it to Lerstal before nighttime today.” Seeing the frowns on the faces of the others, Mystogan sighed. “The landscape here is not friendly for travel. Most people choose a city and remain there for quite some time, rather than moving from place to place.”

Zeref tried to consider just who could hate him so much, even in this alternate world. Considering that people here were copies of their counterparts from Earthland gave him a long list of names. If Zeref Dragion was anything like he was in Earthland, he had many enemies. “Who is she…who is the queen?” Zeref demanded, this time not taking no for an answer.

“It would not help any of us if you knew, Zeref.” Mystogan stated. “For now, just forget about it. The sooner we move, the better.”

Glaring at him, Natsu crossed his arms over his chest. “What’s your problem? So what if he knows this chick’s name? It isn’t like he’s gonna run off and join her or anything. We’ve got a goal in mind already, and from what I know of Zeref, it’s that he doesn’t let go of his goals. I mean, he sets his sights on some impossible things, so I doubt this will really be that hard for him to accomplish.”

The dragon slayer glanced towards Zeref, who nodded slightly in agreement. “Our mission remains unchanged, regardless of her identity. Knowing who our enemy is, however, allows us to look for signs of her presence.” It was a safe assumption that they looked similar to their Earthland counterpart, after all.

Even Lahar looked curious. “Zeref, he may be correct. The lives of the people here are likely vastly different from our own. For all we know, this queen could be Natsu’s counterpart in this world.” It was an odd suggestion, making Zeref turn towards the dragon slayer for a moment. As unlikely as it seemed, they didn’t know enough about the world to say it wasn’t true, though. If Natsu was this queen…things would definitely become quite uncomfortable, to say the least.

Mystogan did not confirm or deny Lahar’s suggestion, while Natsu frowned and scratched his head. “I dunno. I don’t really think I’d make a good queen. It’s not like I have the brains to do it…and from what Mystogan was saying, this queen is a genius at creating plans to capture wizards and stuff.”

“People in this world are normally quite different than their counterparts, actually. From what I understand, the Elfman of this world is actually quite weak, while Cana here is far more refined and lady-like in attitude. She is more concerned about being proper, and refuses to drink even a sip of alcohol.” Turning towards Natsu, Mystogan shrugged. “Your counterpart could be quite brilliant as a result.”

“Huh. I wonder what else changed about me over here.” Natsu frowned and seemed to think about it for a moment, but Zeref found himself wondering the same thing. If people were so different over here, why did it sound as if he fell into the same role? No matter what world it was, he became the wanted criminal. Fate was just cruel to those with his name, perhaps. The memory of the realm they passed through flashed in his mind, making him shudder. No, perhaps it was more than that. Ankhseram disliked him, and had intervened to punish his other self as well. It wasn’t entirely impossible, though in a world without magic, Zeref wondered just how the god could create such a punishment.

Closing his eyes, he realized he had to know for sure if that place had been a dream, or if they had really passed through that place when coming here. “Mystogan…on our way to Edolas, I felt as if I was somewhere else for a brief moment. There was nothing…just an empty world filled with a gray landscape….” The Fairy Tail wizard was nodding, sitting down on the side of the bed with a sigh.

“Yes, that is quite common. In order to get to Edolas, there is a different realm that must be passed through. For some reason, the only realm directly connected with both Edolas and Earthland is that in-between place. You can rest assured, however. Nothing lives in that place. I’ve seen it countless times, during my attempts at destroying the anima. Getting dragged in isn’t pleasant, but there isn’t danger either.”

Shaking his head, Zeref narrowed his gaze. “You are the one who is incorrect, Mystogan. That realm is far more dangerous than you could imagine…and it is likely connected to all realms.” Pausing, Zeref glanced towards the others with a sigh. “I fear we have no choice but to pass through again, though. Be wary, for that is the place where gods reside, Mystogan. I’ve been there before, many years ago.”

Both Lahar and Natsu stared at him, while Zeref avoided all of their gazes. Instead, he focused on the window, watching the streets below. “If you wish to leave, we will, however, I will not be the reason we fail in this mission. Should this queen find and capture me…do not come to rescue me. I will manage on my own. Our top priority is ensuring that Natsu returns to Earthland, before the enchantment keeping Igneel within him wears off.” 

His sudden topic change startled them all, but Zeref was not willing to speak about the very moment he gained his curse. Even if he was opening up further to these people, there were some things that were too disturbing to describe or think about for long. Rising to his feet, Zeref began to move towards the door. He didn’t even check to see if the others had followed. Hearing their footsteps was enough to reassure him that they were there, as they began moving on once more to avoid capture.


	52. The Queen of Edolas

The streets of the royal city were far more crowded now than they were before. It was almost impossible to push their way through the crowd, making it difficult for them to make any progress in their travels. Zeref kept losing sight of his companions, especially with how well Mystogan was used to hiding within the shadows of places like this. His cloak would vanish from sight for a few moments, before Zeref managed to find it again around another corner, or further down in the street.

Natsu was the one doing the best at keeping up with Mystogan, though that was likely due to his senses. The boy could track down the other wizard through scent if necessary, but Lahar and Zeref didn’t have that capability. Thus, they were stuck forcing Mystogan to stop every few moments to allow them to catch up. Even though Zeref had started out leading them, this had been the pattern that emerged once they got out into the streets.

Behind them, the castle loomed over the entire town. In a way, the sight somewhat reminded Zeref of Vistarion. The city was set up in a similar manner, with a circular outer ring of residents surrounding the central castle within. Buildings lined the streets, with little to no room for yards between them. It was built with conservation in mind, optimizing the space and maximizing security for the castle. Anyone attempting to break in would first have to sneak past all of these homes. Then, there was the massive wall surrounding the castle to deal with. Gates were closed on the wall, with guards posted at each entrance. Even from this distance, Zeref knew that no one would gain entry without permission from the queen.

Considering their situation, it might prove useful for him to use his identity to their advantage. He could get captured and end up inside those walls, to locate the spell they needed. Granted, that would only work if the spell was near the castle. Mystogan hadn’t revealed its location yet. It felt odd, being the one unaware of all the facts. Zeref was used to being the one in control of the leaking of information to others, but this time, his underling had taken on that role. For now, it put him in the strange situation of needing to rely on Mystogan, when he felt like he should be taking charge in some way.

Moving past another person on the street, Zeref felt a hand grab his wrist. He turned towards them, seeing a man eyeing him with narrowed eyes. “Hey, you’re—“ the man began, but Zeref jerked his arm away and hurried on.

Perhaps he was well known here, Zeref noted. Now that he glance around the street, he no longer felt as anonymous as he expected himself to be. That man was not the only one who noticed him. Others were avoiding his gaze, whispering amongst each other. Right next to him, he could hear others. “That’s him…Zeref Dragion…” 

It was a female speaking, and her friend by her side. Both appeared to be quite young, maybe teenagers if he had to guess. “He must be crazy coming here…the queen is going to find him.”

“Well, let’s hope he does.” there was a slight giggle as she lowered her voice again, though Zeref could still hear it. He had lost sight of Mystogan and had to stop to search for his group once more. “After all, it will be so exciting if the wedding finally arrives!”

“Yes, just imagine our queen in her beautiful gown…” This made Zeref grow still, stopping his search for his companions. Wedding? He was under the impression he was wanted for crimes, but their gossip was making him think quite differently. Considering his role back home, perhaps it was not too strange. He was an emperor, so maybe an arranged marriage had been made for him in this world, to bind two nations together.

The people moved on, and left him incapable of hearing more. However, that didn’t stop his troubles. A child this time, grabbed his arm with a grin. “I’m taking you to the queen! Zeref is wanted by her right away, and she says she’ll reward us for bringing you in.” There was a slight light in the child’s eyes that made Zeref think of Natsu, but he made no comment. This boy had black hair and a strange cowboy hat on. With his appearance, he looked nothing like the dragon slayer and was unlikely to be his counterpart.

It was easy to pull away from the child and move on, but now, he didn’t even know what direction to look in for Mystogan. He had gotten turned around while listening to rumors, and now, he couldn’t even spot Lahar or Natsu. This had been a bad choice, Zeref noted. This place was too crowded for them to travel properly, and keep track of each other. 

With no other option, Zeref simply began moving forward. Staying in one place would make one of the normal citizens capable of capturing him. Being wanted here was far different than being wanted in Fiore, he noted. Citizens in Fiore didn’t attempt to grab him in the streets. They either failed to recognize him, or they were too afraid to even speak of who he was. As a result, he could walk safely through any town, so long as he didn’t fear killing those around him.

The longer he walked, the more people began to notice him. More hands grabbed at his arms, making it a struggle to keep moving forward, He kept having to jerk his body free from the grips of strangers. Sometimes, he would have to try and shove them back. This was truly showing him how weak he had gotten physically over the years. Since he couldn’t contact anything living, Zeref had never had any issue with this before. Never once had Zeref needed to be physically powerful, because anyone who got too close would fall over dead.

The sensation of being touched was enough to make him startled, but it grew old quickly. Now, Zeref was partially wishing his curse was back, simply so he could have some peace as he attempted to walk. Another hand grabbed his shoulder, making Zeref grimace and shove it off. The next one got a bit more creative. His entire body was thrown to the ground as someone tackled him.

His face smacked against the sidewalk, making him grimace and glance over his shoulder to see who had tackled him. The crowd seemed to disperse suddenly at the sight of this one, and it gave Zeref enough curiosity to stop attempting to resist for just a moment. On his back was someone keeping him pinned to the ground. He could feel the pressure of her legs surrounding his sides. Her knees dug into his hips, while hands pressed tightly down on the center of his back. The pressure of her weight was centered on his lower back, but Zeref made no move to try and break free. The second he saw her, he couldn’t even remember to breath for a moment.

Tickling the skin by his neck were strands of long blond hair, trailing down the sides of the face of the woman leaning over him. Her emerald green eyes locked with his, though she did look somewhat different than he recalled. Instead of wearing her hair down, she had pulled it up into twin pigtails. Both of them were curled at the ends, tied with black bows above her head. Resting between them was a crystalline tiara, sparkling in the sun. 

Continuing his inspection of the girl, Zeref’s black eyes drifted down from her face. She was dressed in a blood-red robe, fitted tightly to her youthful body. Unlike the Mavis Zeref knew in his world, this one had far more curves and was older in appearance. She appeared to be closer to seventeen years of age, rather than thirteen. Even so, he would have been able to recognize her. That robe was tied off at the waist, with a white bow keeping it wrapped tightly around her form. The neckline cut down far, revealing a faint black undershirt beneath it.

Whispers surrounded him, but Zeref’s entire focus was on the girl before him. His lungs burned and after a moment, he took in a sharp, wheezing breath. Tears sprung into his eyes, as he found himself unable to do anything else before her. “Mavis…you’re alive…” he whispered, in awe of the fact.

The girl scowled, tossing one of her pigtails over her shoulder and sitting up. Her arms crossed over her chest as she simply used her weight and legs to keep him immobile. “Of course I am. You of all people should know that, Zeref.” 

Smiling, Zeref let his eyes close and relaxed his neck. His muscles were already getting sore from turning to stare at her, but at the moment, her image was burned into the backs of his eyes. This was not his Mavis, but it was still her. He had never imagined meeting the other version of Mavis in this world, but now that he had, Zeref didn’t know what to do. 

When he didn’t reply, he heard a snort from above him. “Is that all you have to say after all these years?” Mavis shook her head, sighing and getting up. “Well, maybe you’ll be more talkative back home. You’re coming with me now, and I’m not taking no for an answer.”

Feeling her watchful eyes, Zeref slowly nodded and chuckled under his breath. “Who said I wanted to leave?” Rising to his feet, Zeref stepped closer to her side. “Though, there are likely a few things you should know…I do not think I am the Zeref you are searching for…”

Frowning, Mavis turned towards him. “You sure look like Zeref to me.” she commented, slowly giving him a bright smile. “So, I say that’s good enough! I didn’t expect you to change your mind after all this time. Does that mean you’ve forgiven me?”

Unsure of what he had been upset with her for, Zeref nodded. To him, it didn’t matter what Mavis had done. So long as she was alive and safe, he would forgive her for anything. The girl seemed to smile in response, reaching over and grabbing his hand. Just like in Earthland, it was small and childlike, one thing that didn’t seem that different about her. Almost instinctively, Zeref wrapped his fingers around her own, intertwining them together. Unlike all of the others from before, this was far more pleasant of an experience. 

It was warm and soft in his grip, and Zeref couldn’t help but marvel at the feeling. This was the first time in a century that he had risked coming into contact with a person for any reason beyond necessity. As he was dragged through the streets, Zeref felt as if his mind was in a daze. People cleared away and gave them a path to move, though Zeref didn’t really focus on why they did so. His gaze simply stared at the back of Mavis’ head, seeing her pigtails bounce slightly with each step.

The girl leading him smiled and shook her head. “You know, you’re a lot quieter than I remember you being. Did something happen, Zer?” 

It was an odd nickname, but Zeref found that he didn’t mind it coming from her. “I…as I stated, I am not the Zeref you think I am.” he replied, still unable to explain much else.

Shrugging, Mavis kept moving along. Staring around them, Zeref finally figured out that he was forgetting something important. He was supposed to be looking for Mystogan and Natsu. However, he could no longer feel like that was an important task. Here, Mavis was alive. Here, Zeref was free from his curse. What reason did he have to return? What life did he have back in Earthland that was worth saving? 

Staring at the girl in front of him, Zeref realized that there was none. The only reason he had to return was the girl that was right here. If this Mavis wished for him to stay, then that was the only reason he needed to abandon Earthland, and remain here for what remained of his life. With that in mind, Zeref smiled and continued following after her, even as she began leading him towards the one place he was supposed to avoid. The castle walls loomed over them before long, and without a care in the world, Zeref followed after Mavis inside of them, wishing for nothing other than to be by her side.


	53. Fear of Magic

Guards stepped aside and allowed them to pass with no issue. Unsure of what to say, Zeref let Mavis lead him into the castle. The halls were massive, and once again, Zeref couldn’t help but think of his castle within Vistarion. The same lighting existed here, creating an almost golden look to the halls. Arched ceilings made it seem taller than it actually was, while Mavis seemed to ignore them entirely in her sole focus on heading towards one room in particular.

Opening the door, she shoved Zeref inside. He stumbled slightly, turning back to see her frowning at him, her hand on her hip. Now that he saw her again, he noticed that in her open hand she was carrying a strange staff. It was silver in color, a straight rod with a decorative circle welded to the surface at the top. Above the circle, the material swirled around with thin strands, wrapping around the top and created a dome-like structure that encased a red stone within. It shone with a dark light, and made Zeref wonder if this was one of the magical items he had heard about in this realm.

“Alright, now we’re all alone, so you can drop the act.” Mavis stated, leaning against the doorframe. “You may care about this kingdom, but I know that you don’t care about me, Zeref. Still, there’s no way I’m ever letting you go again, not after I’ve finally found you.”

Waving the staff, she gestured towards Zeref with the device. Red light seemed to shoot out from it, startling Zeref as the energy seemed to take on a new form. The lines seemed to surround him, created a cage-like structure with a light that looked like red lightning. “I got a new toy while you were away. I can create anything I can imagine with this…though it does use a bit of energy. Maybe I’ll let you out, once you’ve finally realized that there is only one person in this world who you could ever love, Zer.”

Glancing at her, Zeref sat down in his prison patiently and smiled. “You’ve failed to listen to me properly, Mavis.” Tilting his head, he saw the girl frown at him in confusion, stepping into the room. “The man you have been searching for is Zeref Dragion, correct?”

Mavis nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. “Don’t play games with me. Like I said, I’d know your face anywhere, even if it has been nearly a year since I’ve last seen you.”

Closing his eyes, Zeref nodded in agreement. “Just as I’d know your face anywhere, even though its been nearly a century since I’ve spoken to you.” That made her stop, blinking in surprise at him. “My name is Zeref, Zeref Dragneel. I am not from your world, Mavis. In my land, you do exist…however, things are quite different, to say the least. I’ve missed you…I can’t tell you how much I’ve longed to see you again, alive and speaking like this.”

The girl seemed to have frozen, her eyes wide. “From another world…” she looked uncertain, biting her lip as she approached him. Her green eyes studied him closely, frowning as she placed her thumb onto her bottom lip, biting the nail instead for a moment. “You look just like him…you talk like him too.” She seemed to think for a moment, before smiling brightly at him and sitting on the ground just outside of the cage she had put him in. “Alright, then I guess I’ll just have to change my strategy! My Zeref doesn’t want anything to do with me anymore, so I’ll just marry you instead.”

Blinking, Zeref nearly choked on nothing but air in shock. “Excuse me?” He didn’t know if she had heard him correctly or not.

Smiling, Mavis leaned towards the cage. “I said we’re getting married. It’s always been my dream to finally become your wife…I don’t care if you’re a different Zeref, you’re still Zeref after all.” she insisted, tilting her head slightly. “So, all I have to do now is convince you that I’m the one you're meant to be with.” Pausing for a moment, Mavis lifted her staff again. The light surrounding him seemed to be drained away into the crystal once more, vanishing in an instant and leaving him staring at her with wide eyes. “Sorry about the cage…my Zeref would have ran away if I brought him here, but you won’t, will you?”

Her eyes were wide and innocent, reminding him so much of the Mavis he loved back home. Reaching out towards her, Zeref stroked the side of her face. She looked surprised, but not unhappy with the gesture. He could feel a few strands of hair underneath his palm, loose flyaway hairs that had fallen free from her bows. “No. I would never leave you. I’ve spent so long…searching for a way to bring you back. Never did I imagine that I’d find you in a different world.”

The girl stared into his eyes, her smile fading as she locked her gaze on his. “You…did you love me, the other me in your world?” It was an odd question, but in their situation, it made a lot of sense.

“My dream was the same as yours, Mavis. At the moment, I see no reason to even leave this world…” Zeref frowned and turned away, troubled for a moment. There was Fairy Tail, waiting for him to return. Then again, Makarov was with them. That old man was more than powerful enough to lead a wizard guild. “You…you loved the other me. Tell me, am I that different from my other self?”

With that, Mavis frowned for a moment, leaning back on her legs. “Well, I guess. I mean, the Zeref I knew was kind of an open book. He liked to brag about is family, especially his brother to everyone in town. He was always smiling, and I liked that about him.” Staring at him, Mavis shrugged. “You may not smile as much, but I don’t care. I like how quiet you seem to be, and how you’re not always talking about…your family. Right now, I don’t want anyone reminding me of family..” She sniffled slightly, pulling her legs out from underneath her and pressing her knees to her chest.

That was something Zeref found odd, but he didn't try to change it. She had differences as well, though he could look past them and still see his Mavis underneath all of it. “I take it that means my brother is alive in this world.” Zeref mused, closing his eyes.

Mavis gasped at that, staring into his eyes. “In your world…Natsu is dead?”

Turning away, Zeref nodded. “Many years ago. He perished as a baby, and he never truly got the chance to live.” Gazing back into her eyes, Zeref saw that she had a dark sorrow in her gaze. There was a pain in those eyes, and pain was something he knew all too well. “My past is long and complicated…in fact, you may even say I’m the reason you died in my world…” 

He didn’t want to tell her this, but he felt like she deserved to know. Still, this Mavis’ gaze hardened and she grabbed his robe tightly, fisting together the fabric on his chest. “No, I don’t care. I still…I love you. You’re the only one left that’s alive…that ever really understood me. They all thought I was weird, even the people I lead…” That comment, it suddenly registered just why they were at the castle. Mavis was the queen here. “No one wants to be my friend, but you were different. For that, I would never want to hurt you, no matter what you’ve done.”

Pressing his forehead to hers, Zeref swallowed tightly. One of his arms wrapped around her back, pulling her closer to him while the other pressed into her hair. “If that is how you feel, than I will gladly marry you, Mavis…” he waited, prompting her for her last name.

She blinked, smiling through the tears in her eyes that had begun to fall. “Ashley. Mavis Ashley. At least, for now.” With a smile, she leaned closer, her breath warming Zeref’s nose as her face was just inches away from his. “As soon as possible, that will be changing…soon, I will be Mavis Dragneel, your wife and together with you for the rest of our lives.”

Warmth flooded his body as he heard those words. Her voice, it was just like his Mavis’ too. Closing the rest of the space between them, Zeref touched his lips to hers. They were just as soft as he remembered, and they molded to his own with ease. Mavis arms lifted to wrap around his neck, pressing herself closer to him on the ground. Her hand lifted and rand through his hair, leaving it tangled somewhat as she crawled onto his lap for a brief moment. 

As sweet as it was, a memory flashed in Zeref’s mind that made him jerk back. The image of Mavis, hanging limply in his arms left him haunted. This Mavis turned towards him, though, looking upset by his sudden action. Pulling away may have offended her, but he needed a moment to banish these thoughts. “There’s no magic here…” he whispered, trying to convince himself it was true. “It cannot harm her…don’t think about it…” Something seemed to be pushing his mind to the verge of insanity. Living so long gave him moments like this, though they were rare.

A hand touched one of his own, where it remained gripping his hair tightly. “What’s wrong, Zer?” Her green eyes were soft, and no longer hurt as she gazed at him.

Unable to stop himself, Zeref grabbed her and tightly pressed her form to his chest. She gasped in surprise, but did not move away as Zeref rested his chin on her hair, closing his eyes. “The Mavis from Earthland…she died as I kissed her…” He sucked in a pained breath, tears streaming down his cheeks. “I can’t let that happen again…I will not lose you again, Mavis. That pain…it was too much, and I don’t think I could suffer that much again…”

He felt her chin nuzzle his chest, her head pressing closer to him and warming his chest. “Then don’t. I promise, I’ll bring magic to this world, and we can learn all about it, together. Then, you can use it to protect me at all times—“

“No!” Zeref shouted harshly, though he hadn’t meant to do so. His body shook, trembling in fear. “No magic…I’m finally free, I don’t want it to come back…” The girl looked lost, making Zeref realize there was so much she didn’t know about him. Until this moment, he never realized he was afraid of magic after all of these years. His curse made him hate the one thing he was more gifted at than anything else. 

Staring at him, Mavis’ gaze was calm and level. “Learn to adjust to it, Zer. I’m not giving up now, not for anything. Magic will be coming to Edolas. There’s nothing to fear from it, I promise.” she insisted.

Taking a deep breath, Zeref gazed into her bright green eyes. She was so innocent, unaware of the truth. “Magic itself is nothing but a tool. If used improperly, it becomes dangerous.” he insisted.

“Well, we’ve got the Imperial Guard for that! In our world, no one uses magic without my permission.” she insisted, clapping her hands together. “So long as that stays in place, nothing is going wrong, right?”

Gripping his arms tightly, Zeref shook his head. “You don’t understand. It isn’t others I fear, Mavis…I fear myself. I cannot be allowed to have magic again. For the first time in centuries…there is nothing to worry about. I can walk down the streets, without harming anyone. I can…” he trailed off for a moment, reaching forward and grasping her hand again. “grab your hand, without fear.” Stopping again, Zeref lifted his other hand to stroke her cheek. “I can feel the warmth of your skin against mine, when before it was simply a dream that I had to avoid making a reality.”

Looking concerned, Mavis turned away and frowned. “Why can’t you do those things with magic? I already told you, I don’t care about what you’ve done in Earthland. I’ll always love you…and that’s why I want to marry you.”

“As will I…and that is my very problem.” Gazing towards her with sad eyes, Zeref realized he had little choice. If this Mavis desired nothing but magic, his entire dream world would fall apart. “You see, I am cursed, Mavis. If magic comes to this world, my curse will as well. Then, everything I love will die, and I will be all alone once again.”


	54. A Different Type of Curse

The queen seemed to pause, staring at him with wide eyes. “But…there has to be a way to get rid of it.” she insisted, looking away. 

Zeref knew it hurt, hearing just how much his past would affect him in this world if she brought magic here. “I’ve tried. Mavis, I am immortal with magic, even without the black death magic that comes with the curse. After all of these years, I tire of simply living. The only thing that helped me find a reason to continue on was you, and my curse took you away from me as well.”

Blinking at him, Mavis’s gaze seemed gentle and kind. “That’s why…you said you killed me. We can be careful, right? I mean…it’ll be strange, but we’d still be together. I don’t care if I can’t touch you, or if I can’t be close to you…I just want you to be here for me, if I need you, Zer. Please, don’t make me choose this…don’t make me give this dream up..” she seemed to be pleading with him, tears in her gaze.

Unsure of what to say, Zeref turned away from her. “This is something I cannot alter, Mavis. My suffering has gone on for far too long…if I feel as if magic is returning, I just may find myself attempting to end my life once more.” It was the reality of the situation. He longed to remain in this world, where he could have all of his dreams become reality. Mavis would be his wife, and his curse would be gone. He simply had to adjust, but Mavis couldn’t see it.

The girl pulled back, glancing towards the exit. Now that he looked around, Zeref could see that this as actually a large bedroom in the castle. A massive bed was on the wall just by his side, with one of those lamps on the desk next to it. Another door was on one of the walls in here, likely leading into a restroom to be used. “Without magic…I won’t be able to…my sister will…” Mavis trailed off, glancing towards Zeref with tears in her eyes. “How can I choose? I love you…but my sister, she was everything to me. I can’t…I don’t know what to do…”

She sniffled slightly, staring at the ground. Thinking about what she had said before, Zeref frowned in confusion. She had claimed her family was gone, or at least implied as much. If she was searching for magic to see them again…Zeref scowled grimly at the wall. “Resurrection…that is what you need magic for.” he declared.

The girl nodded sadly, playing with the ends of her hair. “It was an accident…Lucy and I were just supposed to be playing. I found one of our family’s magic tools, but I thought it was just a toy…” she sobbed helplessly, pushing her head into her hands. “When I showed it to Lucy, the device…I couldn’t stop it…” Her shoulders shook, making Zeref close his eyes.

“Perhaps we are more alike than I thought.” Zeref mused quietly. “I highly advise against this path, Mavis. There are beings in existence far more powerful than you can imagine.”

The girl glared at him, leaning forward. “How else should I react? I killed my sister! I’m not supposed to be happy…but you managed to make me smile again…” She blinked for a moment, before gripping her arms tightly. “Then, once we decided to adopt our son, you vanished too…and I was all alone. My parents died not long after Lucy, and your brother told you that what I was doing was…he forced you to…” Her eyes slammed shut, looking pained and miserable.

Turning back towards him, there was a fire in those eyes. “I am not letting all of that be for nothing. I’ve lost everything for this, and I won’t back down now.” Hearing those words, Zeref suddenly realized how Ankhseram acted within this world. His curse was ineffective, but that did not mean the god could not kill. Since he couldn’t force the wizard to kill the others, the god simply did it for them.

Running a hand through his hair, Zeref wondered just what he could do to prevent this Mavis from turning out just like her counterpart. She did not deserve to bear the Curse of Contradictions. This Mavis would be happy and free from that burden, and Zeref would be here to make sure of that. “You won’t be bringing her back to life, Mavis.” Zeref stated calmly.

“You’re just like the other Zeref, then! If I have to, I’ll imprison you again, and force you to see—“ 

Zeref held his hand up, shaking his head. “That is not what I meant. This may take a moment to explain, Mavis.” He stared at her, seeing that she and risen to her feet in her tirade. Taking a deep breath, the girl sat back down and gazed into his black eyes. “I told you before that my family perished years ago…I never spoke of the details.”

Her eyes narrowed, but Zeref continued on. “Simply put, my world was at war. Within that war, my entire family perished, and I found their bodies. In the aftermath, I became just as you are now. The only thing I desired was a way of bringing them back to life, so I searched for it. Magic in my world is common, but even so, it took quite a bit of time to determine just how to accomplish my goal.”

Turning towards the bed, Zeref felt his eyes become distant, seeing the very moment in his mind as he spoke. “I felt an odd pull when I found the method I needed. For a brief moment, I thought I was in another world. Someone told me to stop, but I refused. Something changed in me at that moment, but I didn’t realize what it was. Ignoring the energy rushing within my body, I completed my task. I brought my entire family back to life, and for a brief moment, I was just as happy as I had been when I was a mere child.”

“That’s what I want.” Mavis stated longingly, her gaze pleading with Zeref’s eyes. 

Shaking his head, Zeref turned back to stare into her green eyes. “No, it is not. You see, I saw them again. My parents were alive, closest to me out of all of them. I had left my baby brother a little deeper into the clearing of the forest, at the edge of the circle in case my parents moved out of shock when they first came to. It was dark, that night, with no moon in the sky and clouds hiding the stars form view. My parents both smiled at me, and I felt that happiness rise further, enticing me to hug them once again, despite the fact that I had been seventeen at the time. It was the first time I had seen them since I was five, it only made sense to me to react so strongly.”

Mavis had no response, staring at him in silence. His young age must have hit her hard, based on the wideness of her eyes and the way her hand pressed against her mouth. “As I hugged them, however, that energy I spoke of before released. A cloud of black magic surrounded me, and left me far more terrified than I had ever been before. Natsu began crying in the background, but I could hardly focus on it. All I could see were my parents…dead once more, and this time their deaths caused by my own magic.”

Seeing that Mavis looked stunned, Zeref decided to keep going. “That wasn’t the end of it, either. I still didn’t accept what had happened to me, but I wasn’t willing to risk Natsu’s life in the same way. He was just a baby, and I was in the middle of a vast forest…but I left him there, alone. Being near me would only cause his death, though abandoning him did the same thing. Instead, I rushed towards my school, where people knew magic and could explain what had gone wrong. Despite it being a taboo, I knew that I would be forgiven, if someone could help fix the problem with my magic.”

“That was when people began dying there, too. As I walked through the halls, my peers, my instructors…everyone began falling over, dead even without me touching them. Only one spoke anything to me before death, and it was a harsh gasp on his dying breath…’Ankhseram’s Curse’. I did my own research then, and learned that I had angered the god of life and death. As punishment, I was cursed, granted immortality as well as a curse that forces me to kill the more I value life.”

His gaze bore into Mavis’, needing her to understand. Looking frightened, Zeref leaned back and shook her head, as if trying to deny it. “No…it won’t happen to me…I have to…Lucy has to…” Sobbing helplessly, Mavis hunched forward. Her hands clutched the fabric of the pink carpet in the room, needing something to give her support.

Seeing her in this form of pain, Zeref realized there was one thing he could stand less than his own suffering. Reaching forward, Zeref grabbed her hand and made her glance up, her eyes locking on his. “You won’t resurrect Lucy.” he repeated, watching her lip tremor in response. “However…that does not mean I will not. If magic comes to this world…I will bring her back for you, and spare you from the curse that causes me nothing but suffering every day.”

It was not what he wanted, but it was what Mavis wanted. So long as she was happy and smiling, he would endure that pain again. Someday, he would find that peace he longed for, but for now, he would give it to Mavis instead. Her answering smile made it worth all of it. Her face lit up brightly, her arms wrapping around his neck as she buried her head against his shoulder. The sash of his robe was pushed aside as a result, but he didn’t mind. 

Moving one hand to stroke the back of her head, Zeref felt a small smile form on his face. “Thank you.” Mavis whispered. “I’ll try and find a way to save you, too. I won’t let you suffer, not after all that you plan on doing for me.”

It reminded Zeref of his Mavis and her promise to search for a cure together. The memory made him smile, hugging Mavis even tighter to him. “It is quite alright. All I want is for you to be happy…I apologize for overreacting earlier. It is not usual for me to panic like that.”

“You had every right to be afraid…you were just worrying about me, okay?” She pulled back enough to turn her eyes up towards his. “I like having you worry about me…it lets me know that you care, too. So…don’t be upset about worrying over what will happen to me.”

Sighing, Zeref nodded and closed his eyes. “How long until magic is entirely absorbed into Edolas?” He was curious to know how much peace he would gain by staying here.

Mavis shrugged, seeming content to just stay leaning against his chest. “I don’t entirely know…my plans had calculated magic to be entirely absorbed much sooner, but they ended up delayed.” Thinking about Mystogan’s actions, he realized exactly what the delay was. “However, a few corrections have been made to the initial spell constructed for the siphoning of magic. For the moment, I am estimating completely taking all of Earthland’s magic within the year, perhaps a little longer.”

Nodding, Zeref hummed slightly in response. “I see…then I suppose I will have to make the most of this year. After magic is here, I will likely have to distance myself quite a bit from you. It is nothing personal, Mavis, I assure you. There are simply some things that I will not allow to happen a second time, and your death is one of them.”

“How about this?” Mavis began. “I’ll stop siphoning magic for Earthland, just until our wedding. Granted, I already have a lot of the preparations done since I was just waiting to find you…but I don’t want our wedding to be ruined by some curse of yours coming back.”

Smiling, Zeref pressed his lips to her forehead gently, feeling her arms wrap around his waist again. “If you can wait for Lucy…I would be grateful, to be able to marry you without fear.” 

“Then it’s settled. I’ll give the order for the siphoning to stop right now. We’ll be able to start back up as soon as we’re married.” Rising to her feet, Mavis held a hand out towards him with a smile. Taking it, Zeref rose to his feet and moved to follow after her down the halls. This was his future, the life he had dreamed of having for so long. Maybe he had sacrificed staying free from his curse, but he was gaining far more in return. Mavis was everything to him, no matter what world he found himself in. Feeling as if he were walking through a dream, Zeref listened as she gave the order to her guards to stop the animas from being created. Soon, it would be their wedding day, and Zeref knew he would be by her side until the day they died.


	55. Captured

Fleeing the Royal City was a bit hectic, but Natsu didn’t have too many issues. So long as he just shoved people out of his way, others seemed to get the idea that he was in a hurry. Tracking Mystogan down through scent, however, was a bit strange. He didn’t expect the guy to move that quickly, but maybe the prince was just used to the city. By his side, Lahar seemed to be uncomfortable as well, getting squished between others and struggling to stay close to the dragon slayer. Luckily, Lahar managed to do so thus far, but Natsu was getting worried. For the last few minutes, he hadn’t been able to spot Zeref.

Pushing forward, Natsu attempted to quicken his pace. He needed to catch Mystogan to let him know about that. Maybe the rune knight captain would get a little stuck behind him, but that was not his concern at the moment. Right now, Natsu’s friend was far more important than the man trying to capture the guy and get him killed. That was part of why Natsu couldn’t stand Lahar at the moment. Somehow, he had managed to befriend Zeref, but it still didn’t change the fact that the captain was trying to get his friend killed. Natsu didn’t like their friendship at all, it was just too strange and made no sense.

He had stayed silent about it before, but he planned to talk to Zeref about it later. Lahar was up to something. Maybe the rune knight just wanted to learn all of Zeref’s secrets before the black wizard died. That was likely the only benefit Lahar could gain from that, but he was curious to know what Zeref thought he was getting out of the deal. From what he knew of the black wizard, he didn’t trust others without thinking it would give him something in return. Even he had phrased friendship, in his mind, as simply having pawns. 

That made Natsu smile, though. Zeref was changing, from what the guy had said before they left. He claimed he wished Natsu were his brother or something, and that only proved that his plan was working. The guy was figuring out that he couldn’t just live life all alone like that. For now, Natsu was the only one who seemed to get treated that way too, but it looked like Lahar was joining him in that small circle of friends. That wasn’t a situation he wanted to find himself in, not when he had disliked the rune knight captain for his insistence on hunting down and capturing Zeref.

Glancing around, Natsu noted that Lahar was actually keeping up fairly decently with his new pace. Shoving another person aside, he heard them grunt and complain for a moment. Ignoring it, Natsu focused on catching up to the cloak he glimpsed for a single moment, flashing around a corner down another street. Turning, Natsu charged forward and finally grasped the edge of it, jerking Mystogan back and making the prince of Edolas frown.

“What is it?” he demanded, looking irritated. “We have to keep moving. With this much traffic, people are likely to try and capture Zeref in the crowd.”

Hearing that made Natsu’s eyes narrow, his arms crossing over his chest. If the guy knew that had a chance of happening, why’d the even leave now? “Is that so? Then I guess you want to keep moving even though I haven’t been able to see Zeref for the last ten minutes or so.” Behind him, he heard the harsh breathing of Captain Lahar as he caught up and stopped with them. People moved past them now, none of them paying much attention to the small group of strangers gathered in the street.

The cloaked prince of Edolas stared at him, frowning as he scanned the crowd behind Lahar and Natsu. “He likely got lost in the crowd. We will wait for him to catch up, I am certain I saw him not long ago.”

Snorting, Natsu shook his head. “Yeah, well good luck with that. His scent is getting rather faint around here…and it isn’t getting any stronger.” Smelling the air, Natsu tried again to detect any signs of the black wizard. Strangely, the man’s scent was kind of different over here. While he could still smell the lingering traces of new death on the wizard, it was fading away the longer they were here. Maybe that smell came from his curse, but either way, it bothered Natsu. He didn’t like anything changing, and having someone’s scent change was just weird.

Now, Zeref smelled a lot more like something earthy, mixed with a hint of an oncoming storm. It made Natsu think of the outdoors, reminding him of just how much time Zeref spent trying to avoid everyone. It kind of made sense that those scents would mix with his own, Natsu decided. 

Gazing between them, Lahar nodded with a frown. “I agree with Natsu, actually. Zeref does not strike me as someone who would complain about being left behind…nor is he someone who would be capable of pushing through crowds like this.” He seemed thoughtful, shaking his head for a moment. “Actually, I don’t think he would be comfortable anywhere near a place like this. Perhaps he decided to retreat into one of the shops nearby.”

Considering Zeref’s distant personality, it was actually a decent idea. Natsu scowled at himself, wondering how he hadn’t seen it first. “The stores would not be any better. This is the Royal City, people are always crowding businesses here. Some visit to petition the queen, others simply to view the wonders of this place. Either way, there is no place where this crowd can be avoided, unless you remain in your home or come in the dark hours of the night.” Mystogan frowned, gazing out at the people rushing about. “If Zeref were still following us…I would have spotted him by now. Natsu is correct, something has happened.”

“Finally!” Natsu stated, throwing his hands into the air. “That’s what I’ve been saying. My nose is never wrong, I’d smell it if he was around somewhere.” Glancing back towards the street, he sighed. “Maybe we could’ve avoided this if you’d just warned him about who was after him. It’s kind of hard to be afraid of a stranger, you know. I mean, I always think I can beat any person I come across…though, Zeref showed me an exception to that not too long ago…” A shudder ran through his spine at the memory. August’s magical aura had been enough to overwhelm him, without the man needing to cast a single spell. It had been terrifying to witness, and it showed Natsu just how far he had to grow.

The rune knight captain turned towards Natsu, raising an eyebrow. “Really? That seems like an odd lesson for him to attempt to teach you.” Shrugging, Natsu let the comment slide.

“Yeah, but I guess it kinda helped. He showed me that everyone has weakness in them, but that I just have to work hard to try and overcome it. Underestimating an opponent can be a bad thing.” Thinking back to the fight he almost started, Natsu frowned again. “Really bad, actually. I nearly picked a fight with someone stronger than one of the wizard saints, at least, that’s how Zeref described him.”

Grabbing both of them, Mystogan glared between their gazes. “We are getting off topic.” Removing his hands from their shoulders, he leaned back and closed his eyes. “Discussing your adventures of the past will not help us find Zeref now. I am hoping he has managed to evade capture…but it may not be the case.”

Shaking his head, Lahar gave him a dark smile. “Actually, I would feel more afraid for Edolas if they managed to capture him. I get the feeling that the only reason we were able to contain him for as long as we did related to the fact that he did not wish to leave in the first place.” Grinning, Natsu couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

“Hell yeah, Zeref’s got enough power to destroy any wizard you throw at him.” Thinking about it again, Natsu glanced over at his companions. “Actually, that isn’t always a good thing…Zeref get’s kinda depressed when he does that, now that I think about it. Maybe Edolas is good for him, then. It’ll give him a break from all of that…stuff that keeps bugging him.”

Moving into the crowd, Lahar’s body was jostled by another passerby. He frowned, adjusting his glasses as they slid downward on his face from the motion. More people shoved him aside, leaving the rune knight scowling as he attempted to search for what he went closer to the main street to find. “Natsu…you said you could smell Zeref before, did you not?” His question was quiet, but still heard over the noise of the crowd.

Nodding, Natsu joined him on the edge of the main street. “Sure, though he kinda smells different here. I think his magic did something funny with his scent…makes sense, now that I realize how similar Mavis smelled to him.” There were a few differences, though they were hard to pick out. Zeref’s scent was always mixed with something earth-like, kind of like dirt in a way. Mavis had the same strange smell of death and flowers, but added to it had been something sweet too. Being in the basement of Fairy Tail, and then in the hall in Vistarion, Natsu had caught hints of the sweetness, somewhat crisp and fresh, reminding him of summer and watermelons for some reason.

“How on earth did you discover what Mavis smelled like?” Lahar demanded, sounding stunned. Then, he seemed to pause, considering for a moment even before Natsu answered. “Right. The basement, I should have realized. That was how you knew she had been in there.”

Grinning, Natsu chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, smell tells you a lot about a person. It is supposed to tie in strongly with a dragon’s instincts or something, so it kind of helps me figure out if someone is to be trusted or not. Dangerous people don’t smell good…or at least, that’s what I’ve figured out so far. There could be an exception to that rule.” Seeing the raised eyebrow of Lahar, Natsu sighed. “Yeah, Zeref just smells weird in that sense. Kind of makes me feel on edge around him, but he isn’t a bad guy. That weirdness goes away here, so it only proves it. The smell isn’t Zeref bothering me, it’s his magic.”

“We do not have the time for this!” Mystogan shouted, glaring at both of them. “How many times must I tell you not to stand around doing nothing? Every moment we spend discussing pointless matters like the details of someone’s scent, is another moment closer to Zeref’s capture.”

Narrowing his gaze, Lahar crossed his arms over his chest. “This is actually pertinent to that matter. Using Natsu’s ability to detect Zeref’s scent, we can track down his location within this city.” Glancing towards the dragon slayer, Lahar gave a small smile. 

Blinking, Natsu sniffed the air and realized that it just might work. There was still a hint of Zeref’s outdoorsy scent, and it made Natsu move towards the main street again. “Huh, I guess you’re right. I thought all these people around would make it difficult, but Zeref’s scent still sticks out enough to hone in on it entirely.” 

Feeling the others following after him, Natsu moved into the street. Zeref’s scent was back the way they came, which was expected considering what had happened. Moving with the crowd, Natsu hurried forward following the trail. “I didn’t realize he could do this. I’ve never learned much about dragon slayers, to be honest.” Mystogan commented quietly from behind him, though Natsu was concentrating. Noises were dulled to his ears, as his nose took control of his focus. Scents flooded through his nostrils, though he highlighted one scent as he moved. Others were unimportant, unless it spoke of immediate danger that he needed to avoid.

It felt strangely like the first time he had met Zeref. Back in Magnolia, this was how it had all began. Natsu had found an interesting smell, and tracked it down just like this. Back then, however, it wasn't this urgent. There wasn’t the risk that Zeref wouldn’t be safe at the other end of this trail. Thinking about that, Natsu’s pace quickened. Zeref wasn’t immortal here, and now, he needed to figure out how to be careful or else he could actually die here.

A hand grabbed his shoulder. Reacting solely on instinct, Natsu whirled around and growled at the man on the other end. He was tense, ready to attack this person, but he blinked after a moment. It was just Lahar, frowning in concern. “Look around, Natsu. I do not think we need to go any further…to determine what has happened.”

Unsure of what he meant, Natsu gazed at their surroundings. The streets were just as crowded as before, blocking his view of most of what was around them. Sunlight nearly blinded him, shining into his eyes, but he could squint and ignore it by turning his head. On one side of the street were a few restaurants. Stands offering quick snacks stood in scattered spots. At one point, nestled in between a cafe and a cake shop, Natsu spotted an actual store. Based on the front side of the building, it looked like it sold some kind of flowers. The windows were decorated with colorful bouquets, and it was warm and inviting in color.

On the other side of the street was where Natsu found the actual clue, however. A tall building stood just behind them, with a single entrance visible on this side. Windows dotted the building in random points, and as he stared at it, Natsu noted that it was wider than the other shops on the street. This place was familiar, and Natsu figured out why quickly. It was the inn they had stayed at, in the center of town. He had backtracked this far, and from what he could tell, Zeref’s scent grew stronger even deeper into the Royal City.

Glaring at it, Natsu huffed and shrugged off Lahar’s hand. “So, someone found him.” he stated, frowning. “Mystogan, what’s this queen want with him anyway?”

Closing his eyes, the prince seemed to look troubled as he gazed towards the distant sight of walls in the city. Even from here, Natsu could spot the massive structure, hiding the castle from view and keeping everyone out of the queen’s home. “It is…complicated, to say the least. For now, I will tell you that it is unlikely for her to actual cause him physical harm. That at least gives us some time…” He seemed to pause for a moment, looking uncertain about what to do.

Grabbing someone’s arm, Mystogan seemed interested in talking to others. “Excuse me, miss, but did you by any chance see Zeref in town?” Mystogan smiled almost sheepishly, looking incredibly odd to Natsu. He glanced towards Lahar, wondering if the rune knight knew why the Fairy Tail wizard decided to act so weird. He shrugged, looking just as lost as he was. “I thought I saw him earlier…but when I went to capture him for our queen, he was already gone.”

The woman nodded, smiling brightly at them. Her smile revealed slightly yellowing teeth, with skin that looked tanned from spending too much time outside. With her hair tied back tightly into a bun, she seemed like a hard-working woman. “Oh, you just missed it. He was here, and even better, our Queen came into town herself to see him!”

She sounded thrilled, but Natsu stiffened at those words. It wasn’t some stranger that got Zeref, but the actual queen. “Well, it is a shame that I missed such a sight.” Mystogan commented, though his eyes were distant and did not light up with the fake smile on his face.

“I can’t wait for what happens next! If I had to say anything about it, Zeref actually looked like he was searching for her in town.” This only mystified Natsu, but Mystogan didn’t seem all that surprised. “The queen will be so pleased, I know she will. Now, we only have to wait for true magic to arrive, then all of our dreams will be realized…and our princess will return at the same time.”

Nodding, Mystogan sighed and glanced away. “Yes, she is dearly missed these days.” He paused for a moment, smiling at the woman. “I must thank you for sharing, but we really must be going. There’s always work to be done, of course.”

The girl nodded, waving off and continuing on her path down the street. Silently, Mystgoan turned and went back into the inn. With nothing else to do, Natsu followed, with Lahar by his side. Ascending the stairs, they returned to their room, since it was purchased for the rest of the day yet. Walking inside, Mystogan immediately seemed to fling himself on the bed, lying down with his arms spread over his head.

“So…what now? I’m guessing we’ve gotta break into the castle to stop all of this.” Natsu still wasn’t even sure what ‘this’ was. He didn’t get why Zeref would even be pleased to see this queen of theirs, either. That woman had to have been a bit crazy, he decided. Zeref wasn’t happy to be here, and they all had to get back soon.

Lifting his gaze, Mystogan frowned. “That will not be a simple task…unless you wish to wait until the last minute. I don’t recommend that, however. At that point…it may be too late to convince him to leave.” 

Lahar stepped forward, sitting down on the second bed. “Why would Zeref want to remain with this queen? I understand his desire to escape his status as a criminal in our world, but Edolas doesn’t seem to have anything to offer him more than our land.” It was a reasonable assessment, but Natsu didn’t want reasonable. He just wanted to find that queen and show her what happened when she messed with his friends.

Looking grim, Mystogan sat up and focused on both of them. “Oh, Edolas has something that Earthland can never give him, and he has just figured that out. Not only is he free from his curse…there is far more here than he originally realized. I had hoped to leave before he discovered it.” Turning towards them, Mystogan leaned forward and rested his chin on his hands, which were clasped with his elbows balanced on his legs. “You see, my adoptive mother is someone he knows quite well, in our world. In fact, he’s spent years trying to get to the point where he could see her again. The queen of Edolas, the one who found and captured Zeref, is this world’s version of Mavis Vermillion. Now that they’ve found each other, I think it will take far more that brute force to free Zeref from her plans.”


	56. The Future King

Blinking in shock, Natsu didn’t know what to do. Of course, he had figured out that doubles of people existed in this world. Mystogan himself said that he was one, so it just made sense that there’d be versions of the rest of them walking around somewhere. However, he hadn’t taken the time to consider that there would be another Mavis in this world too. With her here, Natsu had a feeling that no one would be able to convince Zeref to leave. From what little he had seen, Zeref still hadn’t gotten over her death, and that was why he was so obsessed with bringing her back.

Considering that this world’s Mavis couldn’t possibly be the same as the girl Zeref remembered, maybe it would be easier. “You said she was crazy, didn’t you?” Natsu commented. Mystogan nodded mutely, glancing towards the window as he moved over to lean his back against the headrest of the bed. “Well, that makes this easy. Zeref will realize it’s not his Mavis when she starts acting funny.”

In response, Mystogan’s eyes shut. “It isn’t that simple. You see, much like in Earthland, the Mavis of this world is a masterful tactician. If she sees something she wants, she will put up any front necessary to obtain it. At the moment, there is nothing she wants more than Zeref….so if she has to, she will play the role of an innocent and pleasant girl to make him love her.” Natsu didn’t know that this Mavis wanted things to go that far, but he wasn’t going to say otherwise.

Narrowing his gaze, Lahar seemed far more interested in that fact. “She wants him to love her? Based on what I’ve heard…that will be a difficult task to accomplish.” He seemed to pause for a moment, pressing his hand to his chin as he gazed down towards the floor. “Then again, if she truly can imitate the Mavis he knows…you would be correct in assuming he has no reason to leave this place. Not only will he have Mavis back, but this is also a world without magic…from what I understand, he has plenty of reasons to desire a lack of magic.”

Blinking, Natsu wondered just how many details Zeref had given this guy. “Wait, he told you that much?” Lahar nodded, making Natsu frown and sigh. “Huh, I didn’t realize you already knew about that stuff. Still, Mavis is trying to bring magic here, and I don’t think he’ll be happy about that.”

“Not necessarily.” Mystogan commented. “For one, his magic comes from a curse. While I don’t entirely know the details, there are curses that can activate even without magic. Coming here may not have allowed him to escape it at all.” Lahar’s eyes widened, looking mildly alarmed at the idea. “Secondly, Mavis will attempt to reason with him. She does have reasons for doing what she is doing…and they may resonate with him and his goal of restoring the Mavis of our world. From what I know, my mother intends on stealing magic so she can bring her sister back to life.”

A gasp came from Natsu’s side, making him turn towards Lahar. “Resurrection? He can’t possibly think…” Lahar trailed off, biting his lip. “You may be correct. He will relate to that story, far more than you can imagine.”

“Well, I’ll just have to beat some sense into both of them, then.” Natsu grinned at the idea. Not only would it take care of Mavis, but it would also show Zeref just how strong he had gotten. That seemed worth risking his anger, though it seemed kind of hard to anger the guy now that Natsu thought about it. 

Sounding exasperated, Lahar focused back on the dragon slayer. “Is fighting your answer to everything?”

Thinking about it for a moment, Natsu considered the situations he’d been in. Most of his jobs did involve fighting monsters, so of course that was the answer against them. Arguments with others also seemed to end pretty quickly if he began starting fights. As he opened his mouth to reply, however, Mystogan stopped him. “Don’t answer that. Besides, it is unlikely that you could defeat my guild’s master in combat.”

“He doesn’t have magic. At this point, I doubt he’s as terrifying as he’d be otherwise.” Lahar pointed out.

Rubbing his forehead, Mystogan sighed. “Right, Natsu never gave him one of the x-balls.” That reminded Natsu of what the guy had given him. He still had those funny pills in his pocket, the ones that he didn’t know the purpose for. “Granted, I doubt he would have taken one, if he knew what it did.”

Considering that, Zeref’s situation was even worse. The guy was trapped with no ability to fight back. “So, what is the plan? I mean…if he’s happy here, do we really have to do anything?” It was hard to suggest that, but Natsu didn’t want to tear Zeref away from a place where he was moving forward. The dragon slayer had already tried and failed to teach the guy to value his own life.

With his arms crossed over his chest, Mystogan shook his head. “If he remains here…Zeref will not be the same. Ultimately, it was the Mavis of our world that served as his…conscience for a time. Following this Mavis, however, will turn him on a path of darkness much like the road he used to be on. Zeref will help her, Natsu, and Earthland will become a place without magic if we leave Zeref with her.” 

“So, we are breaking in to the castle, from the sounds of things.” Lahar commented, frowning. It seemed like that was the guy’s favorite expression, but Natsu didn’t say anything about it. “You know this world best. Does that massive wall have any weaknesses? Are there guards that can be bribed in this world?”

Finding this amusing, Natsu chuckled at his comment. “Never thought I’d hear a rune knight suggest bribing a guard.” His companion only gave him a rueful smile, inclining his head towards Mystogan for a response.

“Not that I’m aware of….though, there is one person who has gotten in and out of that castle undetected. There was…someone…he wished to retrieve as he left.” Staring at them, Mystogan looked grave and serious. “This world’s Zeref, my adoptive father. Contrary to popular belief, I am actually aware of his location.” Natsu never doubted that fact, but he wondered why Edolas did. Maybe they were just so brainwashed by their queen that they didn’t even consider treason as a possibility.

Looking interested, Lahar tilted his head slightly. “He went back for a person? Just who is that important to this Zeref?” 

“A few people, though only one of them was in the castle at the time. I may have been adopted, but before I came into the family….Mavis and Zeref had a son. Zeref returned to get August and bring him—“

“August?” Natsu demanded shooting up to his feet. “There’s no way that old man is their son…I mean…” He trailed off, considering it for a moment. Even Lahar looked mildly discomforted by the prospect. “I guess it’s possible…they’re immortal, so maybe before she was in the…no, the curse would have…” It just didn’t make sense.

Softly, Lahar seemed to figure it out. “They don’t know.” Natsu’s eyes shot back towards the rune knight. “If August truly is their child…neither of them know the truth. It is the only way he could have survived this long being near Zeref. As for his age…based on Zeref’s past and the timeline I am aware of, August’s age does fit to be his child.”

Glancing between them. Mystogan cleared his throat to try and break apart their musings. “Back to our main focus…Edolas’ Zeref can find a way to get us into the castle, but it won’t be easy. A far simpler method would be riskier, however.” He paused for a moment, gazing between them. “Before I left, Mavis already had plans to—“

A massive bell seemed to echo throughout the air, interrupting him. It banged loudly, echoing in the streets and making everyone stop and turn towards the walls of the castle. As one, the crowds outside began to move towards the center of the Royal City, gathering at the base of the massive wall. Seeing the motion, Natsu turned towards Mystogan and saw the prince rising as well. “We’ll finish this later. That was the summoning bell…meaning the queen has an announcement to make.”

He moved quickly out of the room, diving into the crowds of the street. This time, there was less concern over losing him in the swarm of people. They had a destination in mind, one that any of them could find with ease. As a result, Natsu let himself get swept along in the tide of people, moving towards the castle with no real path in mind. So long as he got closer to the wall, he figured he was doing just fine.

Someone brushed against him, making Natsu tug his scarf tighter around his neck. He worried that one of these people might drag it off of him, if he wasn’t careful. After holding onto it for all of these years, he had no intention of losing the one thing he had left from Igneel. Glaring at them, Natsu clenched his teeth while burying the expression in his scarf. He would get to that wall faster, he decided. Moving his feet quicker, he shoved past others just as he did when trying to leave town. People glared at him in irritation, but he didn’t care.

When he finally arrived, Natsu looked around and saw everyone in a rather uncomfortable position. They were standing straight, with their heads tilted back as far as they could go. All of them seemed to be trying to stare at something on the top of the wall. Following their gaze, Natsu noticed a platform attached to it at this point. It jutted out from the wall like a small balcony, and while he couldn’t see details, he could see two small figures standing up front, with guards posted behind them.

Sniffing the air, Natsu frowned. Zeref’s scent was really strong here, making Natsu wonder if one of those figures above him was Zeref. If that was the case, the other one had to be the queen, this world’s version of Mavis. As Natsu continued trying to determine just who was who on the balcony, something seemed to chime through the air. It was a clear, piercing noise. Unlike the bell from before, it didn’t echo or bang loudly. However, the high pitched noise seemed to resonate in a way, and the noise made Natsu flinch and cover his ears. Maybe normal people wouldn’t mind the sound, but his ears were far more sensitive than those of a normal person.

At the noise, everyone around him fell under a hushed silence. As one, they began to kneel on the ground, making Natsu blink in surprise. Their heads fell to their chests, their eyes closing as the rested on one knee before the people above them. A moment late, Natsu stumbled around to join them. It wouldn’t be good if he got in trouble already in this world. For now, he had to blend in.

He expected their voices to be quiet, but he was wrong. Something amplified them beyond normal, letting the sound carry throughout the Royal City and to everyone gathered at the base of the wall. “Everyone, I’d like to thank you for coming. As your queen, it always pleases me to see such devoted and loyal subjects. Please, take a moment to think about your actions, and know that your respect is appreciated.”

People seemed to actually be smiling at her words, making Natsu wonder how brainwashed they were. It was like they were pleased to be her slaves or something, though he didn’t really know enough to say that things were that bad. “Now that I have your attention, I’d like to introduce you all to the individual by my side. He has only recently come to the Royal City, but his is a face and voice we all know well. We are all aware of the other world that is slowly becoming the source of our magic here in Edolas…today, I introduce you to one of the inhabitants of that world.”

Narrowing his eyes, Natsu felt his hands stiffen by his side. “Greetings citizens of Edolas. My name is Zeref, and I am a wizard from the world known as Earthland.” A few people seemed to gasp in surprise at the sound of the soft, masculine voice from above them. “I will make no claims to be the Zeref you know, however, I do intend on making improvements to this land. If I am to make a home for myself here, it is only reasonable to alter it to my needs.”

A laugh sounded from Mavis, a bright sound to those that didn’t listen any further. Something dark was in that voice, a sound that set Natsu’s instincts on edge and made him wary of some kind of unseen danger. “See? Even one of that world’s own residents agrees with my plans. With Zeref by my side, we shall bring magic to Edolas. We will once again see our princess, Lucy Ashley, again. Once we have magic, we will be unstoppable.” Raising her hands over her head, Mavis gazed down at them all with a smile. Even from here, Natsu could see the glint of sunlight from her tiara, sparkling in the distance.

“In less than a month, we will make this union official.” Zeref continued. Natsu was uncertain of where this was going. He watched as the two figures seemed to step closer together, and it looked faintly like their hands were clasped together. “In my world, I have experience in leading nations. I am the ruler of the largest empire in all of Earthland, and I have been alive for centuries. No one has seen as much as I have…and as such, I am confident in my ability to step into a new role here in this world.”

Confidently, Mavis moved to finish for him. “In only a few more weeks, the preparations will be finished. I will no longer be Mavis Ashley, the sole ruler of Edolas. I shall become Mavis Dragneel, by making Zeref of Earthland my husband. Edolas, allow me to properly present to you the Black Wizard Zeref Dragneel, your future king!”


	57. Revelation

Most people would be focused on her announcement at the moment. After all, it was quite shocking to hear that Zeref was getting married to anyone. From what little Natsu knew of the guy, he was quite solitary and didn’t care about anyone other than Mavis. Since it was sort of Mavis with him, though, Natsu didn’t really care about that. What caught his attention, however, was the name.

Dragneel. That word seemed to echo in his head for a few moments, as his body stiffened and went cold. It just wasn’t possible. Sure, he had heard Zeref’s story about time travel and stuff with the dragons, but he just couldn’t be related to the black wizard. No one ever spoke of Zeref’s last name, though. Maybe he was using an alias again, Natsu thought. After all, he had given Natsu the names of people he knew as his first false identity. That would explain what he had told Mavis, if he had stolen Natsu’s last name for this.

Thinking back, Natsu shook his head and began sweating slightly. He hadn’t even told Zeref his last name before. In fact, he didn’t think the black wizard even knew it. For all intents and purposes, they didn’t really know that much about each other, and that made Natsu begin breathing sharply. Above him, he could hear the two continuing to speak about preparations. Apparently everyone was invited to the wedding, but Natsu wasn’t even sure what he was going to be doing in the next few minutes, let alone within the next few weeks. He didn’t care if he could go to the wedding or not, not when he was busy trying to figure out just who the hell he was to Zeref, and why the black wizard had kept something this big hidden from him.

Pausing for a moment, another thought occurred to him. Zeref kept secrets all of the time, but if Natsu didn’t know about this, then there was a second person keeping secrets from him as well. Igneel was the one who told him his last name. When Natsu had asked about his real family, the dragon simply said a great tragedy had befallen them. He told Natsu that he was a Dragneel, and that it was better to leave the past alone. Never once did he question Igneel again about his family, but now that he thought about it, he realized that his father had been trying to keep something hidden from him. That response had been a way to avoid the question, and he had just bought into it so easily.

Glancing around, Natsu tried to find a way to get up to Zeref. He needed to talk to the guy about things that just weren’t right to keep secret. He glared at anyone who blocked his line of sight. Even so, they didn’t seem to notice. Growling under his breath, Natsu began to consider shoving them out of his way, but he was stopped before he could move. A hand touched his shoulder, making him jerk his head back with a scowl. “Please tell me you heard the same thing I did.” Lahar was gazing at him with a frown, looking uncertain as he kept altering his gaze between Zeref and Natsu.

Slowly, the dragon slayer nodded. The crowd was beginning to disperse, with the announcement over. “Yeah, I heard.” Natsu sighed and ran a hand through his hair. This was just getting even more complicated now. “She called him Zeref Dragneel…but that can’t be his last name. I think I’d know if I was the son of the black wizard.” Actually, he wouldn’t, but it was still a point he wanted to make.

Lahar seemed to study Natsu for a moment, looking a bit stunned. Slowly, the rune knight began to shake his head, a small smile on his face. “He told me he went further than I once did…never once did I imagine he found a way that succeeded.” Frowning, Natsu tilted his head slightly to study the guy. He hated riddles, and he just wanted a straight answer for once. “I don’t think you are wrong, Natsu. Zeref isn’t your father. Actually, he doesn’t strike me as the type of person that would have children in the first place.”

Rubbing the back of his head, Natsu grinned slightly in agreement. “Yeah, that’s why hearing about this world’s August surprised me so much. I mean, Zeref isn’t all that social, and he doesn’t really seem like he’d want to play with kids all that much.” Just imagining the sight of Zeref trying to entertain a child was nearly enough to make Natsu laugh. Likely, Zeref would try educating the child on magic or the inevitability of death. In the best case scenario, he would massively confuse the kid. In the worst situation, Zeref would likely make the child cry, provided Zeref didn’t care about the child of course. 

“I was actually wondering how you knew about August, but I suppose I wouldn’t be too surprised if you found a chance to sneak off after your job involving the Oración Seis.” Glancing away, Natsu tried to avoid his gaze. “Don’t worry about it. At the moment, that is the least of our concerns, Natsu. However, this does tell me something else, something even Zeref likely does not realize.”

Shrugging, Natsu began to move to lean against the wall. A guard nearby gave him a warning glance, but relaxed when it became clear that the dragon slayer wasn’t trying to cause any harm. “Yeah, Zeref isn’t all that creative with fake names. I mean, he named himself after people from his army before, then after some…wait a second, what the hell is a spriggan anyway?” Pausing, Natsu wondered if there was another person in the Alvarez Empire with that name.

This seemed to agitate Lahar slightly, who pinched the bridge of his nose. “That was not my point, Natsu. In terms of his identity, I do actually believe he is Zeref Dragneel.” That made Natsu stand up straight with a start, choking on his spit slightly as he attempted to take in a sharp breath. “How much of his past did he share with you? I know you are aware of his curse, but did he tell you how he got it?”

Thinking back, Natsu tried his best to remember. He wasn’t normally good with things like this. It took time for things to stick in his long-term memory, so a lot of details ended up fading from his mind fairly quickly. “Uh…something about angering a god, I think. He talked about it, but I kinda forgot.” He gave Lahar a sheepish smile, shrugging off the issue.

The rune knight didn’t look that amused by his comment. “Zeref attempted to bring his dead family back to life.” Lahar’s voice was cold and distant. “In order to allow us to work more peacefully during our time here, he told me a bit of how he came to be the black wizard. This was one of the things he explained…including the fact that he looked into resurrecting them after they perished in a war against dragons.” Blinking, Natsu took a moment to register this fact before scoffing at the idea.

“Dragons aren’t like that! Everyone is always so stupid about them, terrified of them. Igneel wasn’t a monster, he was my dad. He liked humans…well, he liked me, at least.” Natsu hadn’t really seen Igneel around other people to know for sure if that was universal, or just some kind of favoritism towards him.

Narrowing his eyes, Lahar folded his arms over his chest. “Regardless of what dragons are or are not like, this is the tale he told me. Within this story, he gave mention of the name of his brother…someone who he stated was definitely dead. He claimed that his brother was named Natsu…and that your name was part of the reason he felt like he could trust you so much.”

Hearing that, Natsu felt the memory of before they came here appear in his mind. Zeref had made a weird comment, and at the time, Natsu just interpreted it as progress forward. I wish you were really him, Natsu. My brother… Those words echoed in his mind, suddenly taking on a new meaning. Before, it had been Zeref’s realization that the two of them could be friends. Now, Natsu realized he had meant it quite literally. Zeref wished his brother was still alive. 

With wide eyes, Natsu gazed back at Lahar and blinked for a moment. He had a brother. It was a strange feeling, all things considered. While he did know Zeref a little bit, it wasn’t like they had grown up together or anything. For years, the only thing he knew about Zeref was the fact that he was some infamous black wizard. Natsu didn’t even really know the details, until Zeref talked about them a bit more. 

He had been silent for too long. Shaking his head, Natsu tried to focus a bit more, but the numbness was sticking around for a bit. Maybe he was shocked, but he should be able to at least do something. “Zeref’s my…brother.” Pausing for a moment, Natsu took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “Damn it. Why the hell didn’t anyone talk to me about this?” Once again, Natsu couldn’t help but blame Igneel for his own ignorance. Didn't the dragon realize that his family by blood was important too?

“I highly doubt anyone was around that knew the truth, Natsu. You had died, according to Zeref. Even he believed you were not returning…it makes me wonder, just what spell he tried that had such a delayed reaction.” The rune knight paused for a moment, his chin resting on his hand for a moment as he got lost in thought.

Natsu hadn’t even gotten to processing that concept yet. He was still so hung up on being related to Zeref that he hadn’t even considered the fact that this meant he was supposed to be dead. For some reason, he thought he would remember an experience like that. Either way, he did know that Lahar was wrong about one thing. “I…I think Igneel knew. He never talked much about my family, though.”

Blinking, Lahar seemed to consider it for a moment. After a brief pause, he slowly began to nod. “Perhaps. It would be plausible, considering the fact that this likely means Igneel found you not long after Zeref abandoned his task.” Natsu didn’t even know when that was, though. All of this was just getting way too confusing to keep track of. Part of him wished he could remember something about all of this, but no memories came to mind. He had just been a baby, after all, so it wasn’t all that surprising that his memory from that far back was just a blank hum.

Someone else seemed to approach the two of them. Glancing over, Natsu nodded in greeting towards Mystogan. However, he was still far more focused on his discussion with Lahar. “I guess. Still, it makes me wonder why he wanted to take care of me. I mean, doesn’t that kind of mean it’s unnatural for me to even exist?” It was an odd thought, but it did not make Natsu feel good. Actually, the more he thought about it, the more he felt like a hole had opened up in his gut. His entire life, none of it was supposed to happen. Meeting Igneel, learning magic, and even this entire journey, it was all supposed to be nothing for him. The sickening feeling made Natsu press an arm around his waist, holding his stomach tightly.

“I’m sorry?” Mystogan questioned, looking lost as he joined in.

Glancing at the Fairy Tail wizard, Lahar frowned. “Were you aware of this the whole time? From what we’ve just heard…Natsu is Zeref’s brother. At least, according to what I’ve heard about his history, at least.” The rune knight seemed to be waiting for a response.

Looking away from them, Mystogan nodded. “I thought you knew. In fact, you two are brothers in this world as well…though, I do believe that Lucy is not related to Mavis back in our land. Something within their stories had to be altered to a degree that made it untrue…though, it is hard to determine just what role Lucy is filling within this Mavis’ life compared to our Mavis…” His entire comment was lost on Natsu after he mentioned this world’s Zeref having a brother. 

Sighing, Lahar shook his head. “In our case, that means that at some point in history, Natsu was dead…and that Zeref brought him back to life.” 

With widening eyes, Mystogan turned back towards the dragon slayer. “That’s…it can’t be. Surely, our guild master would comprehend the futility in even attempting resurrection. Spells of that nature are impossible, nothing more than speculation. In fact, even the art of healing with magic in Earthland has been forgotten, making it even more improbable for the dead to return to life.” 

“Dunno. Zeref told Wendy something about it being different somehow…but I didn’t really understand it that well.” Natsu honestly didn’t remember it well either. The black wizard had suggested resurrection instead of healing to bring back Mavis for some reason. “Either way, I think he may have succeeded. After all, it would explain why he got cursed in the first place. I mean, it wouldn’t really make a god angry if he had no chance of succeeding.”

In a strange way, his logic seemed to sink in with the others. “I…actually, you have a point.” Lahar seemed to pause, considering it further. “Many people wish for their loved ones to return to life, yet only Zeref ended up cursed. Even others that create false methods of resurrection have no history of being punished that way. Perhaps that is because only Zeref succeeded, where everyone else failed.”

Grabbing both of them by their arms, Mystogan suddenly began dragging them away from the wall. “We can speculate on this matter later. For now, we have work to be done.” Glancing towards them, Mystogan frowned and sighed. “Based on what we’ve just seen, Zeref is willingly staying with Mavis. That complicates matters…however, there is still hope. Either we break in with my father’s help, or we sneak in as guests at their wedding. Let’s just hope that we can convince Master that this is not what he wants, before it is too late.”

Natsu was confused for a moment, frowning. He didn’t quite realize what Mystogan was referring to at first, but that confusion cleared after only a moment. They had just announced a wedding. Zeref was marrying some fake Mavis, one who made Natsu feel paranoid just by talking. That girl sounded sweet, but there was a dark undertone to her voice that made his hair stand on edge. With his expression hardening, Natsu slowly began to nod. Maybe he wasn’t used to the idea yet, but Zeref was still his brother. As such, Natsu had to do whatever it took to protect him, even if it broke Zeref’s heart in the process.


	58. A Different Zeref

Mystogan had taken them deeper into the Royal City, pausing as they arrived at what looked like an abandoned area of town. There were no houses here, but it did look like a place under construction. Foundations had been dug into the ground, with cement basements standing and waiting for walls to be build to complete them. Massive holes dotted the landscape as a result, but Mystogan had ignored the warning sign placed at the edge of this place. There wasn’t much to keep people away, but a sign did at least attempt to warm people not to trespass into the area.

Glancing at the landscape, Natsu found that he didn’t really like it. The place smelled like dirt and machinery, a smell almost like rust and mold combined into one. Granted, dirt wasn’t quite as strong of a smell as mold, but it had a similar feel to it. Sand piled up in random places, mostly a dark brown color though there were a few spots that looked lighter. Inside of the homes, dirt was slowly beginning to cover the interior of the foundations as well. No one seemed to be taking care of this place in the city at all. Considering that it was far away from the castle and the main businesses, it didn’t surprise Natsu that much.

Taking another step, Natsu made sure to avoid walking into one of the half-finished buildings as they continued on. No one really talked much as they moved. Natsu was too lost in thought, still trying to accept what he had learned. Lahar was probably reasoning how Zeref had managed to succeed in bringing the dead back to life. As for Mystogan, that guy just didn’t talk much in the first place. Natsu would have been more surprised if Mystogan tried to start any conversations.

In the distance, centered between two of the unfinished homes was some type of structure. Mystogan was leading them to it, his footsteps calm and steady. With a frown, Natsu squinted slightly to try and make out the details on it. From here, it looked rather small. It was dark brown, likely made of wood, and it looked kind of run-down. As he got closer, that was only confirmed even further. It was about the size of a small shed, with no windows to see out of. Cracks could be seen in the wood, and there were spots that looked like water had eroded through the structure. Based on the positioning of the building, it was likely used as a rest area for the workers who had begun these houses. It just hadn’t been taken down when the project was abandoned.

Instead of a door, a plank had been placed flat against the surface of the building. Pulling it aside, Mystogan rested it against the side wall to reveal a hole large enough for them to walk through. “Mavis’ parents had begun expanding the Royal City quite some time ago. Unfortunately, she abandoned the project when she took the crown. It was costing too many resources and took too much time to complete, and it has sat here ever since. Not even she comes out here anymore, so it is quite a decent hiding place for those that do not wish to be found.” Mystogan’s explanation made Natsu nod, confirming most of his suspicions about the area.

“Isn’t it unsafe for it to go unfinished like this? Someone could find themselves injured if they fell into one of those foundations we passed earlier.” Lahar was the one worrying over the details. Natsu could care less about those problems at the moment. He still had to figure out how to talk Zeref out of marrying the girl he was spending his whole life to bring back to normal. Something told Natsu that it wouldn’t be an easy task.

Taking the lead once more, Mystogan stepped inside of the building. “Likely, but what can they do about it? Lodging a complaint with the queen would likely make her upset. Despite her appearance during her announcement today, she is easily angered. Her enforcement of laws is rigorous and unforgiving, and anyone who upsets her soon finds themselves arrested for some form of illegal actions, even if it is only a minor infraction like littering. The justice system follows her every order as well, so if she chooses to delay their trials, no one can fight against it as she uses logic to insist that it is vital to prove the murderers guilty first, before moving on to less important crimes such as petty theft.”

It sounded kind of harsh, especially considering how the people reacted to seeing her. Everyone in Edolas seemed to love the girl. Opening his mouth to ask about it, Natsu found himself interrupted by someone else inside. “True, but she wasn’t always that way. Her heart was once brighter and kinder to her people, before she became queen, and they long to see the day that their princess returns. Until then, they’ll worship the ground the Black Queen walks on, blindly following her in the hopes that she will come to her senses.” The voice was incredibly familiar to Natsu, making him freeze in surprise.

The room itself was dark, but with the voice came a brief light. Someone came in, holding a candle in their fingers with a smile on their face. Familiar black eyes stared towards him, set into a kinder and more open face than Natsu was used to. Black hair seemed to frame his face, though it was much longer than that of the Zeref Natsu knew. It hung down just past his shoulders, straight with his bangs grown out and pushed back behind his face. It looked kind of feminine on him, but Natsu didn’t comment on it. Dressed in a plain white shirt, stained with brown and black spots from the dirt, he looked like he had been out here for a while. His legs looked just as dirty as the shirt, the skin showing underneath the black shorts he had on.

“Black queen?” Lahar questioned, staring at the man with a frown.

Nodding, Zeref approached them with a smile on his face. “I’m surprised you don’t know. It’s public knowledge at this point that Mavis is ruthless. She’s earned that nickname through her actions, at least, from those of us who don’t approve of her new path.” The man smiled and shook his head. It was so odd, seeing a smile on his face. “Some have even taken to calling her Queen Spriggan, since she’s taken her former beauty and grace that seemed almost like a fairy to us, and transformed it into something dark and ugly.”

This time, Natsu understood Lahar’s questioning. At this rate, Mavis sounded a lot more like the Zeref of their world than the Mavis he had heard about. “Huh, interesting. So that’s what a Spriggan is…it’s kind of funny, since he leads Fairy Tail, and he calls himself…” Natsu trailed off, seeing the serious gaze of Lahar. 

“Jellal, I am glad to see you…but why did you bring Natsu here? I told you, my brother doesn’t need to get involved. He understands that I’m wanted, and that it would only cause problems for him if Mavis found out.” Zeref looked troubled, gazing towards Mystogan.

The Fairy Tail wizard glanced towards Natsu instead, shaking his head. “This isn’t your brother. Actually, both of them come from the world that Mavis is draining magic from…and there was another that came with us.” Staring into Zeref’s eyes, Mystogan looked grave. “You see, in their world, there are doubles of almost every citizen of Edolas. Not only does Natsu exist over there, but there is another version of you…and he has come to this world.”

Laughing, Zeref actually sounded amused at the idea. “Really? I can’t believe it. How fascinating, to hear that there is another person just like me. I wonder…” Zeref seemed to pause, his smile looking far more like a grin as he turned towards Mystogan. “Is he just as useless with magic as I am?”

This made the rune knight captain pause, blinking in surprise. “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand. I thought there was no magic in this world…or at least, very limited from what I’ve heard.” He glanced towards Mystogan who nodded in response.

“Oh, that’s not what I meant! Of course it’s different over there.” Zeref shrugged off his mistake, far more cheerfully than Natsu expected. Honestly, the guy’s smiles were actually beginning to creep him out a bit. “Still, the magic tools here can be a bit tricky to use. I tend to overdo it when I try and use them…I use up all of the magic in one shot, and then the tool is pretty much useless for anyone else who tries to take it.” The guy rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish smile, actually blushing slightly in embarrassment.

With focused eyes, Lahar stepped closer to him. “Mistakes are easy to make, however, our Zeref is far different. I don’t think there is a single person in all of Earthland that understands more about magic than him.” Zeref didn’t even flinch, only smiling and looking more interested than before.

“Well, I guess that’s something at least.” He observed them for a moment, looking confused before continuing on. “He’ll probably be able to stop Mavis from destroying herself, then. At least, I hope he’ll be able to do that…” 

Zeref glanced away, looking concerned for the first time since they started talking to him. “Actually, I think she’s gonna drag him down with her.” Natsu corrected, crossing his arms over his chest. “You see, our Zeref sounds a heck of a lot like the Mavis you just described. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she was his counterpart, not you.”

Another person walked into the room, a young child with blond hair and eyes just as black as Zeref’s. “Who cares? It’s not like we’re going to understand any of this multi-world nonsense, anyway.” The kid pouted, while Zeref sighed and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

“I don’t know where he got this from, honestly. August has just never really had much drive…or curiosity for that matter.” With a slight laugh, Zeref seemed to write it off with ease. “It makes things a bit easier, living out here. He never even tries to investigate the half-finished homes around us.”

Shaking his head, Mystogan sat down on the ground. Considering the lack of furniture in here, Natsu realized there wasn’t exactly another option. “We need your help. Zeref Dragneel cannot marry Mavis. You still love her that much, don’t you?” The question hung in the air.

Before them, Zeref seemed to glance away, his gaze hardening slightly. “Not this her. I…it’s hard to explain. Part of me loves her…the person I once knew. She was kind and sweet…we have a child together, a future planned…” he trailed off, looking rather sad. “She was filled with grief, when Lucy died. I was by her side, helping her through it all…never once did I stray from her, but she became…possessive, and jealous of everything I did.”

He looked miserable now, much more like the Zeref Natsu knew. “I wrote it off as her being afraid of losing more…after all, she didn’t have any family left, and I was the only person by her side. I accepted that, it was the least I could do…but then, she started to try and blame others for Lucy’s death.” Zeref swallowed, brushing aside August’s hair gently. “She may have accepted the accident later on, but at the time…she turned against Lucy’s closest friend, my brother. Guards chased him out of the Royal City, forcing him to live on the run…he was already terrified of so much, her actions only strengthened that. Now, he can only feel comfortable when he is in a vehicle of some form, since it is the only thing that can outrun her magic.”

Considering how different everyone else was in this place, it kind of made sense that his counterpart loved vehicles. The thought made him begin to feel a little nauseous though, so he quickly focused on something else. “So, you picked your brother over her?”

Slowly, he gave Natsu a slight smile and nodded. “I had every reason to love her…but after her changes, in both her leadership and personality, I had grown…to nearly hate her as well. Is that strange?” 

Sharing a look with Lahar, both he and Natsu smiled before Lahar replied. “Not strange. Contradictory, actually.”

“Damn, I guess you really are Zeref, then.” Natsu shook his head, giving the guy a grin. “So, what do you say? Are you willing to help us save yourself?” That sounded far better in his head than in came out, Natsu noted.

The non-wizard version of Zeref seemed to frown, glancing towards August for a moment. His hair fell past his shoulders, dangling slightly over his arm as he smiled slightly at his son. “I would be happy to help. Anything, for any version of my brother.” Grinning, Natsu clapped a hand on his shoulder and nodded.

“Great, then let’s get started!” A new team was forming here. It was odd, and none of them really knew each other all that well, but Natsu knew that they would succeed. They were united by a common goal, and the more time they spent here, the closer they got to each other. Glancing towards Lahar, Natsu couldn’t help but smirk confidently about their plans. When they finally got back, it was beginning to look like his brother would have a new friend, one that would keep him away from being sent back to Era for his crimes. After all, a rune knight wouldn’t go this far to protect the black wizard if he didn’t at least have some form of trust towards the guy.


	59. A Familiar Face

It seemed as if Mavis was not lying when she had a lot already in place for her future wedding. Zeref found himself with little to do to help. She contacted everyone, ordered decorations, set up catering appointments, and even began scheduling a time for a tailor to come get him fitted for a suit for the occasion. Feeling rather useless, Zeref simply waited around the castle and watched, amazed at how organized this Mavis was. Then again, he supposed Mavis Vermillion was skilled in her own way, creating plans that never failed. In a way, this was just an extension of that gift, being applied in an unusual manner.

The announcement had gone well, Zeref decided. After speaking with Mavis about finalizing their wedding, she had insisted on introducing him to the public. “You aren’t the Zeref they know, so they at least have to see you once before the wedding. It’s only common sense, so they don’t start thinking you’re Zeref Dragion.” That had been her reasoning to him, and he didn’t see any reason to argue against it.

It had only been two days since they announced their wedding, but Zeref still felt like he was in a daze. Everything was changing so quickly. He wasn’t used to living his life so fast-paced. In his home, he always was used to standing still in time. Eras moved on without him, while he remained permanently unchanging throughout the passing of time. His plans were developed with the intent of being carried out over years or more, but here, things were happening in a matter of days. With Mavis constantly dragging him around with her everywhere, it was hard to get used to.

That was the other thing he had to adapt to as well. Simply being near Mavis again was continually bringing back memories at the oddest of moments. She would say something or move in a way that sent his mind spiraling back to his own world, centuries ago. In many ways, Mavis Ashley reminded him too much of Mavis Vermillion. They were different people, but their looks and voices were the same. Everything else was small details, such as Mavis’ position as a queen in this world and the odd changes to her family. Lucy Heartfilia was not related to Mavis, at least, Zeref did not think she was. Perhaps the girl had been a lost Heartfilia child in his world, yet neither of them knew of it. It would be possible, considering the fact that Mavis had never really remembered her parents well before. An illegitimate Heartfilia would have been hidden well within the records of history, due to the pride that family was known for having.

When that happened, Zeref’s reactions varied. Sometimes, he’d find himself withdrawing into himself for a time. Mavis would get angry with him as a result, demanding his attention or insisting that she wasn’t going away so he had to just get used to it. Other times, he would be able to move on if the memory was sweeter. Either way, he often found himself crying a lot from the memories. Good or bad, remembering Mavis Vermillion always seemed to have that kind of an effect on him.

Today, things were moving forward in their plans. Mavis was setting up a banquet hall for the guests for the wedding. Working with her were coordinators, trying to set up the seating arrangements. Considering they didn’t even know how many guests would arrive, it would likely be challenging to finish. He hadn’t realized Mavis was practically throwing a party to celebrate this event. Then again, she did not strike him as the type of person to do things half-way, either.

While she was busy with that, Zeref had been pushed into a side room. Someone was with him, taking measurements of his arm length, chest width, and height to help design a suit for him. “You’re smaller than I imagined. I don’t typically find men with such small measurements.” The tailor commented, smiling at him. This was why things were a bit uncomfortable, Zeref noted. The face before him was quite familiar, with violet eyes gazing towards him and black hair that had been cut far shorter than he was used to.

He didn’t know what he expected the Lahar of this world to be doing, but never had Zeref considered him being a tailor. “I don’t usually wear suits, either.” It was a mild reply, but glancing at his usual robe and sash, Zeref thought it actually didn't make much sense. Suits were far less complex to put on than his usual ensemble, and they did have the same coloring. While his black robe and necklace were simple to put on, it had taken him years to master the art of tying the incredibly long piece of fabric that covered it properly. At first, it had continuously fallen off of his shoulder, but he worked hard to correct it. To many, it would seem like a remedial tedious task, one to be abandoned quickly. For Zeref, it was a way to occupy his time, since there was little else for him to be doing with his immortal life. Back then, he didn’t have the Alvarez Empire, and he was simply waiting for one of his demons to find him and end his life.

Now, Zeref could tie on the sash in a moment’s notice. The fabric was familiar to him, as was the appearance of black and white, accented with the smallest hint of gold to represent his status as an emperor when he gained the title within Alvarez. The simplicity of the design worked for him, and in a way, the contrasting colors were the best way for Zeref to represent himself.

Edo-Lahar pulled the measuring tape back, staring at him with a smile. This man seemed far brighter than the Lahar Zeref knew, and far less serious based on the few minutes he had seen him. “Well, I’ll make sure you get the best. Everyone is so excited for your wedding, Lord Zeref.” People were adapting to calling him by that title here, but Zeref was used to his name changing almost everywhere he went. Sometimes, he was the black wizard. Other times, he was simply Spriggan. Within Alvarez, it could be your majesty, or simply sir if it was a less formal situation. “Aren’t you excited as well?”

Considering the fact that Zeref had not been smiling, the question made sense. “Of course. Mavis is…” Zeref paused, uncertain of how to describe it. “It is hard to explain, I suppose. For now, I simply think it is best to say that she is far more important to me than anyone else in the world.” 

“Good to hear. Everyone deserves to have someone like that in their lives.” Sighing, Lahar began to look a bit distant and vaguely creepy as he blushed and smiled like a teenage girl with a crush. “I know I’m happy with my wife. Mesty is such a sweetheart, so open and loving. She gave up her entire job just so she could sit around and take care of the kids. Granted, she never really had much ambition in it before, but…” Zeref began to tune him out. That name had been Doranbolt’s false identity within Fairy Tail, or at least, close to it. He questioned if his counterpart in Edolas was actually female, but at the moment, it wasn’t important to ask about.

One thing Zeref knew for sure was that neither Lahar nor Doranbolt would surrender their jobs, not in his world. Things were still strange here, but he was learning to adapt to them. “Lahar, I have an odd question for you.” Staring at this man, Zeref had to find something to separate him from the Lahar he knew. “How do you feel about Mavis’ plan to bring magic to this world?”

The man smiled, shrugging. “It isn’t my choice to have an opinion on the matter. She’s our queen, so we do what she says.” There was a slightly bitter undertone, making Zeref frown. This wasn’t the unyielding respect he had heard in the rune knight captain’s voice when he spoke of Princess Hisui. “Either way, if she’s happier, then our lives will be that much easier. That’s why we’re all looking forward you your wedding. It may not be ours, but it will make our lives a heck of a lot easier. You haven’t seen Mavis when she doesn’t get her way, but trust me, it isn’t a pretty picture.”

Pausing, Zeref tilted his head slightly. Lahar approached again with the measuring tape, gesturing for Zeref to lift his arms. He wrapped it around his waist, taking yet another measurement and making note of the number on the yellow strand in his hand. “I’m assuming you are referring to the time when Zeref Dragion betrayed her.” He hadn’t heard many details about his counterpart, but Mavis had quickly adapted to seeing him as the same person. It was odd, but he did look and sound the same, just as she did to the Mavis he knew.

Nodding, Lahar glanced towards the door. The room was separated from the main gathering room of the castle where Mavis was working, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t attempt to come in and check on him. “Yeah…to be honest, I kind of agree with him though. Don’t tell her I said this…but she isn’t coping all that well with the loss of Princess Lucy.” Rubbing the back of his head, Lahar dropped his smile and sighed. Perhaps his lack of glasses was what kept bothering Zeref about this man’s expressions. They weren’t all that different from the rune knight’s, though he didn’t constantly reach towards his face to adjust what was not there like his counterpart. “Then, losing Zeref made it harder. All she’s been trying to do is find him again. Citizens are required to report any potential sightings of the guy…and if she suspects you’re hiding him, that’s it for you. Thankfully, you came around just in time. She was starting to look into Mesty as a suspect for hiding him, but now, she’s all smiles and sunshine again with the wedding coming up.”

Zeref had a hard time picturing the Mavis he described. Lahar was talking about her like a ruthless ruler, but it just didn’t coincide with the innocent, child-like face of the Mavis he knew. Despite the fact that this Mavis was older, it had not changed many of her mannerisms. The girl still seemed self-conscious about her appearance at times, and she always seemed to be smiling so long as Zeref was following her plans. Even back in his world, Mavis would cry over failed plans, so her reactions to them not going as expected wasn’t unusual to him. What was unusual was the idea that she was so cold to others, rather than welcoming them like family.

“Perhaps you are simple not interpreting her words correctly.” It would make sense to him, though he could not recall a statement made by Mavis Vermillion that would cause so much confusion. “Regardless, it doesn’t matter anymore. I am not known for being a kind ruler in my world, Lahar. You don’t grow to lead over such a large territory by being kind and gentle. Military strength is required, as is a balance between fear and awe from the citizens you rule over.”

Few understood how to properly mix the two reactions within the public. After years of fighting with his army, Zeref had generously given other territories a choice. Either they could join his empire, and follow his leadership, or they could perish. That had been the sense of fear bestowed upon them. The awe and respect had been more difficult. After adding their lands to his empire, Zeref had established a system of minor delegation of responsibilities to those smaller sections. Separating them off, he allowed them to keep their former rulers in a place of power, letting them make decisions on how to spend money on repairs for the town’s structures, and giving them a voice that could be heard by the emperor himself. 

When Zeref wasn’t around, those appeals were heard by his elite guard, the Spriggan Twelve. The system took years to establish, but after growing accustomed to it, people often thanked him for allowing them to have some form of a voice in such a militaristic government. Seeing generosity from a ruler, even if it was simply to gain their loyalty, was a way to instill respect into those who lived under his rule.

These strategies, however, would be difficult to enact here. From what little he had learned, Edolas wasn’t a large world. In fact, Mavis was the sole ruler of this place. With him being added to the leadership, it would not be as simple as conquering lands to create fear once more. “Lord Zeref?” Lahar’s questioning tone made Zeref shake his head out of his thoughts. The man had likely been trying to speak for a while, but Zeref had gotten trapped inside of his memories again.

“I’m sorry. It is…strange, transitioning to this world. I have yet to adapt to everything that I should expect here.” It wasn’t much of an explanation, but it would be good enough for him.

Nodding, Lahar put his tape measure away, smiling at him. “Oh, I can imagine. We’re still glad to have you, even if you aren’t the Zeref we know. There’s something about you…I can’t quite describe it, but you seem like someone who should be in charge.”

Those words were strangely trusting for this Lahar, considering what little Zeref had told him. Despite the fact that he promised to bring them fear and strict rulership, these people still wanted him. Smiling, Zeref let his arms fall back to his sides, watching the man leave to begin creating his suit. The approaching wedding would be perfect, with Mavis’ planning, and from that point on, he would have a new job. Even with magic returning to this world, he still had every chance to go back to his former hobby, establishing a powerful empire and ruling over it however he saw fit. So long as Mavis was by his side, it was all going to be worth it in the end.


	60. Wedding Crashers

The wedding day came far sooner than Zeref had expected. Granted, that was how much of the entire last week had gone. Everything happened too fast, before he could process much of anything. However, that did not stop him from feeling a deep sense of warmth as he stared at his reflection in the mirror. His bedroom was shared with Mavis lately, something he had no issue with, but right now he was separated from her. After all, he couldn’t see his bride in her wedding dress until the actual wedding occurred.

Lahar actually was quite talented as a tailor, Zeref noted. His suit was simple and plain, just as he had wished for. Black and white, just like his robes and sash, yet far more form fitting than he was used to. It was far tighter around his waist than he was used to, and the neck of the dress shirt seemed to choke him if he moved his head the wrong way. Still, it wasn’t entirely a loss. Overall, he could not deny that the suit fit him well. To accent the outfit, a red rose had been placed in his breast pocket, on his right side. With a simple black tie tucked underneath the jacket, he looked ready for the day. However, the red still bothered him. It reminded him of…well, himself. He knew of the change that often occurred to his eyes when he gained control over his death magic. As such, he usually tried to avoid wearing red, to not remind himself of the darkness that rested deep within his heart.

Closing his eyes, Zeref shook his head. Today was not the day for such dark thoughts. After all, he was getting married. As he let his eyelids open once more, he stared at the expression he now wore. There was a smile on his face, a genuine smile that he had almost forgotten the feel of. It made his cheeks almost hurt, but the feeling was a pleasant change. Being happy like this….he couldn’t remember the last time he felt like he had hope for any type of future. Mavis had given that to him, and while he may find himself cursed once more, she was going to be there to help find a way to end his suffering. If not, he could always flee Edolas after he lost her once more. After her death, Earthland would be a place without magic, and the anima could bring him there so he could join Mavis in death.

Once again, Zeref sighed, realizing he was going back to his usual dark and grim thoughts. As always, moments like this left him inevitably thinking about how they would end. Still, as he tightened the tie around his neck, he couldn’t help but feel like all the pain would be worth it. Even if he lost her at the end, a single moment with Mavis would be worth all the suffering in the world. That was something he should have realized long ago, when he first began on his journey to bring her back to him. Maybe this Mavis was different, but she was still Mavis, just as he was still Zeref even if he wasn’t the one she knew.

Finished, Zeref took a deep breath and left the room. Mavis was likely getting ready herself. He didn’t even know what she was going to look like today. Weddings in Edolas could be quite different from what they were like in Earthland, after all. Maybe white wasn’t traditional for bride’s dresses, or maybe Mavis would simply look for something unusual for her gown. Either way, it didn’t really matter. The only thing he cared about was their future, and making sure Mavis never had to cry again in this world, or any other.

Walking through the now familiar halls of the castle, Zeref could feel his smile growing. Every second brought him closer to the moment he would finalize his union with Mavis. Their future together would begin, and he would not fail her again. His goals had not really changed, Zeref noted. By doing this, he truly was saving Mavis from centuries of more suffering and pain. It was simply a different Mavis than he first planned to save, but the details didn’t matter to him. Both brought him the joy of reuniting with the only person he had ever loved, and this plan was far simpler to execute than his first had been.

Pushing a large set of doors open, Zeref now stood before an enormous room. Chairs were lining both sides of a long aisle, set up and filled with people from all over Edolas. They turned to stare at him, many smiling as they saw him arrive. The aisle itself was covered with a plain white fabric, keeping the floor clean. The floor itself was smooth, made of some form of stone that had been polished to shine underneath the cloth. At the end of the flat aisle was a grand archway. Flowers seemed to decorate the surface of it, shades of red, pink, and white carnations woven within a fence-like material used to create the arch.

Along the walls, windows were scattered, letting natural light shine into the room. The walls were covered with golden banners, marking the occasion as something for royalty. Centered in each banner was Zeref’s own touch to the decor, his only request given to Mavis. As a memento to her mission back in his world, he had requested his guild’s symbol to be displayed in some form at their wedding. In black fabric, stitched into each golden banner, the Fairy Tail logo remained. It made it look almost like fairies truly were flying around the ceiling of their wedding, circling the massive crystal chandelier that hung from the center of the room.

Walking forward, Zeref moved calmly and confidently between the seated guests. He might not be comfortable with crowds, but this was something he was used to. Anytime he returned to the Alvarez Empire, he found himself in situations like this, where strangers watched him with awe and fear. Here, he could play the same part he played back home. He was confident in his actions, and without magic or any sort of value for their lives, there was no risk involved. It made him smile, and helped him ignore them as he took his place before them, where he would stand to wait for Mavis to finally arrive.

Once again, Zeref fell into a happy daze as he waited. Lately, the things that happened here just didn’t feel like reality to him. He wasn’t this happy, he never managed to succeed, and other similar thoughts floated throughout his head. Things never went quite this well for him, and after so much good luck, he just couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that things might actually be changing for him. Being happy wasn’t something he deserved, but now that he found a place where he could smile, Zeref wondered if perhaps it was worth fighting for happiness. Always, his goal had been simply to obtain peace…but this was far better. He could not deny that this would make eternity far more enjoyable, if he could find a way to keep this emotion running so strong.

People began to rise in the room, their feet shuffling as music began to echo around him. The piano wasn’t what Zeref was interested in, however. His focus was also not on the people who put fake smiles on their faces as the doors opened once more. The only person Zeref saw at that moment was the beautiful woman walking towards him. Her long blond hair had been worn down for today, covered by a thin white veil circling her head. Used to hold the fabric was a newly designed crown, sparkling within the lights of the room. In her hand, making small clicking noises against the ground, was the same staff she carried all the time, silver with the red gem residing at the top.

Her dress was the next thing that caught Zeref’s gaze. Mavis was pretty under any circumstance, but her dress seemed to hug her upper body tightly, showing curves that simply had not developed on the Mavis he once knew. Sleeveless, the dress exposed most of the skin on her upper shoulders and arms, carrying a bouquet of pink flowers before her. Behind the flowers, Zeref could see the telltale hints of gems glittering, decorating the bodice of the dress. At her hips, the gems seemed to become scarce, while the dress itself fanned out to cover her legs and feet. There, it seemed like the white dress was nearly see-through, though many layers of fabric prevented any skin from actually showing. Instead, it created an unusual, almost ethereal appearance as the base of the skirt began to show more hints of elegant design. Solid white fabric laced around the bottom edges, creating almost floral-like designs with a few gemstones woven throughout for more of the scattering-light effect.

Taking a deep breath, Zeref couldn’t help but smile brightly at the girl walking towards him. The music continued playing, but he tuned it out to focus even further on what was about to come. Seeing him, the queen seemed to smile in return, her white teeth flashing as she grinned and began picking up her pace. It was clear that she was just as eager for the ceremony to begin, and the thought made him chuckle under his breath. Luckily, the music was too loud for the sound to be heard, but Mavis winked at him, giving him a knowing look as she moved to stand by his side.

The music stopped after a few more moments, and people began to take their seats once more. Before Mavis and Zeref was a middle-aged man, dressed in a black robe with a cross dangling from his neck. The priest carried a book with him, opened to a page within as he awaited silence in the room. After a few moments, he began. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony.”

His words also did not matter to him. Feeling a bit impatient, Zeref almost wished he could order the priest to finish with the unneeded theatrics. However, Mavis seemed to be hanging on his every word. Her green eyes were bright, wide and visible even from underneath the veil covering her face. While the guests might not be able to notice from their seats in the audience, Zeref could glimpse the sight of her bouncing slightly up and down with excitement. She was likely on her toes to do so, staying in motion in some way to keep herself from shouting out.

This moment, the way she looked right now, Zeref knew he would not forget it no matter how long he lived on. Mavis in her wedding dress was even more beautiful than he could imagine, and her child-like excitement was enough to make him smile and relax slightly. He had lived for nearly a century, wishing for this day. Waiting a few more minutes to make her his wife would not be a huge difference, in the grand scheme of things.

“Do you, Zeref Dragneel, take Mavis to be your wife, to have—“ The priest had just begun to finalize the ceremony, beginning their vows, when the doors burst open once more. He stopped at once, glaring at the intrusion as Zeref turned around, with Mavis doing the same. Standing in the doorway was a familiar face, but at this point, it only angered Zeref to see the pink haired dragon slayer interrupting the ceremony that had so nearly been completed.

“Damn it, I think we’re late! Hey—“ Natsu turned around, blinking before scratching his head. “Huh, they aren’t there.” He was the only one speaking in the room, and it seemed to make the dragon slayer look a bit wary as he gazed around.

Glaring at him, Mavis slammed her staff against the ground. “This is unacceptable. How dare you interrupt us? After everything you’ve done…” Her hand seemed to turn white as she gripped her staff, making Zeref stare at her in alarm. She sounded rather angry, an emotion he didn’t often hear in Mavis’ voice. “Guards, grab him. Should he resist…well, you have my permission to give him a quick end, for ruining this day for myself and my husband.”

While the ceremony wasn’t finished, they technically weren’t married, but Zeref didn’t really mind the mistake. However, he also disliked her methods. Guards who had been standing around the edges of the room now made themselves known. Most carried some form of magical object, which they now used to take aim at Natsu. A few had small guns of some kind, firing off magic shots at first. The dragon slayer simply glared at them, jumping aside and dealing with the first few with a harsh punch to the face. 

He looked rather irritated, glancing up towards Zeref. “Hey, Zeref, knock it off! I get that she looks like her, but that chick isn’t Mavis!” His words made Zeref scowl even further, but they also seemed to enrage the girl by his side.

“I am Mavis Ashley!” she shouted, lifting her staff above her head. “I am the queen of this world. I will not stand for anyone attempting to defy my wishes.” She turned her gaze towards the guards, smiling darkly as red light began dancing along the tip of her staff. “If you wish to attempt to do so, I’ll show you just how powerful I can be.”

The dark tone in her voice made Zeref frown, unsure of what to do. This wasn’t fitting with the dream-like wedding he had envisioned. Actually, he was still somewhat dazed, attempting to rationalize Mavis’ odd behavior. Glancing towards Natsu, he supposed the dragon slayer did interrupt her careful planning. The tactician in Mavis would retaliate from that, though this seemed slightly extreme.

Planning to stand back at first, Zeref watched as the light from the staff shot forward, snaking out through the air towards Natsu. Seeing it coming, the dragon slayer jumped to the side, looking far less serious than Zeref expected. “So, you wanna fight, huh? Well, I’m getting fired up.” With that, the dragon slayer smirked and let flames dance along his palms.

Gasping, Mavis turned towards Zeref with wide eyes. “I thought…since when does magic work like that? Doesn’t he need some form of object to activate it?” She seemed to be searching for that very object as well now, looking away to focus on her target.

Frowning, Zeref blinked as he finally recalled a detail that had been swept aside in the chaos of arriving in Edolas. Mystogan had given Natsu something to use for coming to this world, a pill of some form. Perhaps this was the effect, but if that was the case, he was rather glad he had not taken any. “In Edolas, that is correct….it seems as if he has found a way to keep the magic of our world intact as he fights.” 

Right now, Zeref felt a strange desire to get his hands on one of those pills. He didn’t want to consume one, but the details behind how it operated had to be fascinating to learn. Creating magic in a near-magicless world had to require some form of energy in the first place. On top of that, the pill itself had to contain a form of magic spell, one that would not activate until digested. Whatever the true specifics were, he knew that he could use it later on in some form. At least, he thought he could.

Zeref was still lost in thought when Natsu charged forward, this time leaping towards Mavis. Blinking in shock, Zeref moved on instinct. He had watched Mavis die once, on a day that was meant to be just as joyful as he had planned today on being. He would not let it happen a second time. Moving, the black wizard shoved Mavis aside, knocking her to the ground as he stood protectively before her. Zeref now stood between the dragon slayer and Mavis, his expression hardening and turning far darker than before. Earlier, he had been so joyful and smiling, but now, he could feel the darkness stirring in his heart. If Natsu wished to steal his happiness away from him, then Zeref would fight to keep it intact.


	61. Self-Hatred

Glaring at the man that Zeref had begun to see as a friend, Zeref felt almost numb. His wedding day was destroyed, the dream shattered as he saw the truth. What he had always believed still remained; there was no happiness allowed for him, but he could fight to protect what he valued. It didn’t matter if he was going against someone who he had begun to trust. Natsu had betrayed that trust the moment he threatened Mavis’ safety, and now, he was going to make the dragon slayer pay.

Looking irritated, Natsu scowled towards Zeref. “Come on, get out of the way! I’m trying to help you, Zeref. She isn’t the girl you think she is, so just back off.” His words were not helping Zeref, either. Instead, he knelt down, reaching out slightly towards the ground. Mavis was sitting up now, beginning to try and rise back to her feet. However, she had left something on the floor in the process. Now grasping the smooth handle of the staff she had once used, Zeref smiled darkly and rose to his feet.

In his hands, the staff felt strong and powerful. Closing his eyes and touching the gem at the top, he could feel the powerful magic within. Most in Edolas wouldn’t even be able to detect it, and while his senses had failed to work before, they were working fine now that he had a magical device in his hand. It simply had to channel his senses before he could search for magic in the air, and the act required practically no energy to do so.

With his expression dark, Zeref smiled once more. This time, it was not a pleasant look. Instead, it seemed to transform his face entirely. “I will deal with him. Tell your guards to back off, he is my problem. After all, he is simply a pesky wizard from my world that does not belong here.” Stepping closer to Natsu, Zeref only smiled as the dragon slayer took a step back in return.

Natsu didn’t look that frightened, despite his motion. More likely, he had stepped back due to discomfort from his proximity. “Huh? What the hell are you talking about? We’re friends, and we’re going home together. That was the plan, wasn’t it?”

Behind him, Mavis seemed to grow angry once more. “You won’t take him away from me! I won’t let you take anyone from me ever again!” She seemed to reach out her hand for the staff in Zeref’s grip, but he only chuckled and shook his head.

“As I stated before, I shall handle this. Besides, you don’t know how to properly use the power you have.” She blinked at him, looking uncertain as Zeref’s expression turned grim, grasping the staff a bit differently. Wielding it with both hands, Zeref adjusted his stance to be a bit wider, his gaze focused and narrowed at Natsu.

Glaring at him, flames began to dance around Natsu once more. “I’m beginning to at least get some kind of an idea…but I still have no clue why the hell you’re doing this. If I have to beat some sense into you, Zeref, I will. After all, it’ll be kind of fun to see if I’ve gotten strong enough to stand up to you, right?”

Zeref wasn’t really sure when Natsu would have had the chance to train, considering everything that had been happening, but now wasn’t the time to bring that up. With a smirk, the dragon slayer attacked. “Fire Dragon’s Iron Fist!” Flames blew towards Zeref, but the black wizard stepped back, holding the top end of the staff out to block. This was the aspect of the magic tool that he had figured out, the one part that Mavis seemed to lack the understanding to grasp.

As soon as Natsu’s fist touched the gem, the flames began to vanish from sight. He blinked in surprise, staring down at his hand in confusion as even the fire still burning on the ground began to vanish. Any flames began to rise into the air, spiraling around and flying towards the red gem at the end of the staff. There, they converged into a bright orange light, the ball consuming and covering the red gem from sight. As it did so, Zeref rose to his feet, standing tall and watching with a disinterested expression. The more magic it absorbed, the more it seemed to lose its color. The red of the stone was actually meant to serve as a warning, alerting the user to the fact that the magic within was nearly depleted. The true color of it was meant to be black. 

Based on what he had seen, the entire weapon was this world’s version of dragon slaying magic. It could take on many forms, mimicking nearly any element that existed in Edolas. At the same time, it also had incredible absorption abilities. Magical attacks did not stand a chance against the staff, not when it could be absorbed and reutilized as a spell by the wielder of the weapon.

Tilting his head slightly, Zeref smiled darkly towards Natsu. “Well done, but there is still much you have to learn, Natsu.” It was stated using the same dark tone that entered his voice when Zeref began contemplating wars. Many years had passed since he was enraged this far, and right now, he planned to enjoy showing Edolas just why they should not even consider harming anyone whose life he held dear. “Let me show you what true power is…what I am truly capable of.”

The flames had vanished from sight now, revealing the blackened stone underneath. People had already begun panicking in the background, something Zeref had failed to notice before now. Most of the guests had already fled, but he was surprised that the sounds of their screams hadn’t even gotten his notice. He truly was absorbed by his anger, he noted, and that only made him chuckle in dark amusement.

Everything was forgotten about besides his single goal. He was going to destroy Natsu entirely for interfering with his planned future. Slamming the staff into the ground, Zeref closed his eyes and let the magic consume him as well. There was only one image in mind, one being capable of truly intimidating Natsu enough to utterly destroy him emotionally, and physically. Black scales danced beneath his eyelids, with bright, almost glowing blue eyes and far darker blue markings dancing along his body in various patterns. The image of Acnologia burned itself into his retinas, and as it did so, black lightning seemed to explode from the staff.

Everything seemed to become dark in the room for a moment. While guests may not be here anymore, Mavis ducked to try and shield herself from whatever force was being created. However, Zeref was not doing this to harm her, and the spell never even came close to her body. Instead, it began to condense in the air above him for a moment, darkly wrapping around and weaving strands of black lightning-like magic together as one. Once united, the entire creation fell to the ground. Before them all stood a massive, still image of a dragon. Glancing at it, Zeref noted that he couldn’t add in various colors and patterns to the creations with the staff, but in form alone, it did look a lot like Acnologia. The black helped with the appearance, though he had hoped to completely replicate the black dragon.

Shrugging it off, he turned back towards Natsu who sniffed the air hesitantly. “That thing isn’t alive. Besides, you wouldn’t seriously try and hurt me. I know you too well, Zeref, and I know that you don’t like killing others.”

This time, he had earned a full-on laugh from the black wizard. “Is that so? Tell me, Natsu, just how well do you truly know me?” With that, Natsu blinked and seemed to think about it for a moment. “We may have worked together, perhaps even traveled together and spoken of my past, but that does not entail true knowledge of myself. You see, if you truly knew me…you’d understand that I can be quite ruthless, when there is something I want. At the moment, what I want is to remain here by Mavis’ side.”

Smirking, Natsu seemed to think he had this argument won. “Ha! Well, then you’ve got problems, because like I said, that chick ain’t Mavis.” He crossed his arms over his chest too, waiting for Zeref to reply.

Sighing, the black wizard decided it wasn’t worth wasting his time on. “You will never learn, Natsu. After threatening to harm her…I don’t think I can forgive you. Instead, I will help you repent for your sins…with my first creation in centuries.” This seemed to make Natsu grow still, narrowing his gaze at the statue-like dragon made from pure magic energy in the room.

Once again focusing on widening his imagination, Zeref attempted to create something far more abstract this time. The only thing truly missing for magic to be performed in this world was ethernano. If he could synthesize particles of a similar nature, his body would absorb them and in turn, he could perform the magic he was far more familiar with than Edolas’ version of spells. 

Around him, tiny black specks could be seen forming for a single instant in the air. As soon as they arrived, however, they vanished from sight. Mavis was watching, smiling as she stood back and observed his actions. Meanwhile, Natsu could only blink and try and figure out just how far Zeref was trying to go with this battle. 

Feeling the energy begin to flow within him once more, Zeref’s eyes opened. When they did, Mavis gasped slightly at the sight. Pure red irises stared out from his face, harsh and almost crazed as he turned towards his dragon. Pressing a palm to the ground by its side, Zeref ignored the staff for a moment. The stone on the end had returned back to its red color, but he had gained so much more power instead. 

No one had truly witnessed him using this magic before, and now, it was his chance to demonstrate that ability. Feeling magic begin pouring from his body, Zeref focused on establishing the circles he had developed so long ago for this task. Black in color, intricate designs began to spiral around in the air. One formed beneath the dragon’s feet, massive and taking up the entire area underneath. Others appeared rapidly, so quickly that none of them but Zeref knew the true order of formation. As more and more magic circles began to glow in the air, intricate runes began to join them. Inscribed into the stone floor, at first they seemed immobile and stagnant. After a single second, however, they began to glow white and lift from the ground. White writing spiraled into the air, interweaving between the circles as unreadable glyphs flashed, the white color transforming quickly into a dark black as it rose higher and gained more power.

As the lettering turned black, the circles transformed as well. Brilliant white light seemed to erupt from them all at once, as the entire structure formed a dome-like casing around the dragon. The light blinded everyone, but Zeref only smiled and continued observing. As the light grew brighter and brighter, it also began to consolidate closer to the ground. It seemed to begin dulling after a few more minutes, the light fading away and taking on an odd, square-like shape. As it rested just on the ground by Zeref’s feet, the black wizard leaned forward to touch it. The light vanished immediately, leaving nothing but what looked like an old, leather bound tomb in its place.

Grasping the book with a smile, Zeref turned back towards Natsu and pointed with the staff in his grip. “Arise, my creation. As your master, I command you to attack this boy before me. Succeed in stopping him, and I shall ensure that your reward is great. Fail, and your life is forfeit.”

With a massive roar, the dragon acquiesced. Mavis flinched and covered her ears at the sound, while Natsu actually took a step back, looking frightened for the first time since their fight began. “Crap…how the hell am I supposed to beat an actual dragon?” That was when he blinked, laughing and shaking his head. “Duh, I’m a dragon slayer. My magic is designed for fights like this.”

Unsure of how it took him that long to realize it, Zeref simply took a step back to watch. There, he felt Mavis wrap her arms around his neck from behind him, making him pause. He had gotten so lost in his anger that he had forgotten about her presence. The thought sent a chill through him, realizing all that she had seen. “I am so proud of you, Zer. It makes me so happy, seeing you defending me like this.”

Those words, they made Zeref frown. As the demon lashed out towards Natsu, a massive claw swinging down, the black wizard questioned just why Mavis would feel that way. Before him, the dragon slayer dodged the attack. Natsu lashed out in return with a wing attack, but the flames seemed to become absorbed into the dark, practically intangible form of the demon. 

Glancing towards Mavis’ green eyes, Zeref stopped and saw something different in that gaze. He knew Mavis well, and this was not the reaction Mavis should be having to seeing magic like this. However, before he could think much further on the matter, a voice shouted out to them. “What happened here? Is that—one of Zeref’s demons?”

In the doorway, Lahar stood with a few others by his side. One of his companions was Mystogan, something Zeref expected. However, what the black wizard hadn’t expected was the other two with them. A not-so-familiar long haired version of himself seemed to be clapping with excitement at the sight of the demon, a far too cheerful reaction for Zeref to comprehend. In front of Edo-Zeref, however, was a face he had not expected to find in this world. August was here, but not in the form he was used to. Instead of the elderly man Zeref knew, August had come here as a child, bearing the very same face his guard had worn when he first came to Zeref, asking to remain by his side so he could have the chance to find all of the answers he needed in life. 

The longer Zeref stared at August, the more he realized that it didn’t actually matter what face his general wore in this world. It wasn’t the same person, and August here didn’t have the unyielding loyalty of the August he knew. As a result, Zeref turned away after a brief shock, gazing at his demon with a new purpose. Natsu had brought allies, but that did not mean they would succeed. He would still obtain this future, the one where he was with Mavis and happy for the first time in centuries.

With a harsh glare, Zeref realized he had yet to name the creature he created. It may have been based off of Acnologia, but that wasn’t who it was. Keeping it simple, Zeref simply shortened the dragon’s name for his creature. “Gia, these newcomers wish to interfere with my plans. You are to stop them as well, using any means necessary.”

Turning its head to glance at Zeref, the demon nodded. At the mention of a name, the book under Zeref’s arm felt warm for a moment, the word appearing on the cover as his creature lunged forward once more. Natsu saw it coming, dodging to the side once more. “How did he create this thing?” Lahar shouted out a demanding question, his eyes wide. “There’s no magic in this world…at least, not like where we came from. He never took one of the x-balls….” Lahar seemed to be trying to reason out how Zeref had created it.

Hearing that, Zeref slowly began to smile with mild amusement. Mavis stood by his side now, smiling proudly and placing a hand on his shoulder. “He is the greatest mage of your world, did you truly think he wouldn’t be capable of understanding our magic?” Mavis sounded amused as well, laughing after her comment for a moment. “Kill them all. So long as I have you, I don’t need the rest…especially not those traitors cowering by the door.”

In that spot was Edo-Zeref and August. However, her order made Zeref pause. This desire for death and violence, once again it didn’t sound like the Mavis he loved. His Mavis was gentle. In fact, he would have thought she’d be horrified at the idea of attacking people like this. “See, this is why I left. She’s gone crazy enough to want to kill her own son.” Edo-Zeref was turning towards Mystogan, who was staring at the battle with wide eyes.

Gia leaped into the air, this time managing to tackle Natsu to the ground. In response, the dragon slayer gripped the beast’s arm, trying to shove it off of his body. Watching them, Zeref noted that his demon was clearly superior at this point. In terms of strength, Natsu had no chance of freeing himself from the beast. Opening its mouth, Gia leaned down to clench its jaws around the dragon slayer’s neck and finish the job. However, at that point Mystogan interfered.

“Sorry, Natsu, but this attack may hurt you as well.” With that, his staves launched forward, placing themselves on the ground as the wizard raised his hand. “Five Layered Magic Circle: Sacred Song!” Colorful magic circles appeared above both of them, sending a beam of energy down on both Gia and Natsu. He heard his demon’s roar of pain, his head rearing back in anger. Turning towards Mystogan, Gia found a new target and abandoned the dragon slayer who continued gasping for breath.

Looking towards the door, Zeref questioned the words Edo-Zeref had stated. Did he just call August Mavis’ son? Or was it himself that he labeled as such? Either way, the idea was far too preposterous to be true. In his world, Mavis simple couldn’t have any children, not in her current state. Therefore, these counterparts shouldn’t have such a relationship with the girl. He could reason a relationship to the Heartfilia family in his world, but he could not reason this one. 

Now turning on Mystogan, Gia seemed to growl sharply. He crouched down low, taking in a deep breath. Seeing this, Zeref understood that his creation was going to use a breath attack against them. With the current aim of the beast, it would hit every one of their enemies at the moment, so it was quite a good decision on his demon’s behalf. “Zeref, stop this!” Lahar shouted, glancing towards him with worried eyes. 

Ignoring him, Zeref folded his arms over his chest and continued watching his demon increase its power. Lahar bit his lip, taking a deep breath before narrowing his eyes at Zeref. “Do you really want to be the one who kills your own brother?”

That got his attention. Turning his head sharply, Zeref slammed his staff into the ground. A massive bang echoed around them at the noise, his rage being made obvious. “Gia, halt.” With that, the beast, stopped its preparations for attack, but Zeref did not. He moved forward, standing by the dragon’s side and narrowing his gaze. “I told you that story foolishly, Lahar. It is not a weapon to be used against me…in fact, even mentioning that tale will incur my wrath instead.”

With a dark grin, Zeref wondered if his body had any magic lingering within after creating his demon. He wanted to destroy Lahar with his own hands for trying to use that against him. “I am not deceiving you, nor am I attempting to trick you. Natsu is your brother, Zeref, and if you do this, you will kill the only family you have left.” 

Shaking his head, Zeref scowled and glanced towards the boy. “I told you before, it is quite impossible for Natsu to be my brother. Tell me, just how would a baby survive in a forest after being abandoned? Creatures of all kinds would view him as food, and likely eat the child alive.” It was a dark comment, but it was exactly what Zeref imagined had happened to the brother he had resurrected.

Lahar seemed to flinch slightly. However, he wasn’t the one who replied. “A dragon finds the kid first. That would do it, I think.” Natsu glanced over towards Zeref, practically mimicking the black wizard’s expression as he crossed his arms over his chest and stood by Lahar’s side. “Igneel never told me about my real family…all he said was that a tragedy had befallen them.”

Never had Zeref even thought this would happen. Igneel had found his brother…and raised him. Yes, he did know that the dragon slayers were practically raised by their dragons, but he never thought one of those beasts would take a baby in under its wing. Only the flame dragon king, with his deep love of humans, would even be willing to put up with such a thing. As bizarre and outrageous as their story sounded, it was just plausible enough to make Zeref begin to panic. The dark anger that had gripped him so tightly a moment ago seemed to fall back once more, leaving him breathing hard and gazing between everyone with wide eyes. He didn’t know what was true. Natsu was his brother…no, he wasn’t. Zeref couldn’t decide which story was true.

Behind them both, Edo-Zeref smiled and came forward with August. “Isn’t this great? You finally get to realize you have a brother after all! I know I’d be devastated if anything happened to my brother, so of course I had to help reunite you with yours.” Glancing over at the dragon, Edo-Zeref pointed and looked a bit curious. “That is amazing, though. Can you really use magic that well in your world?”

Sighing, the child by his side shook his head. “Dad, I don’t wanna learn about magic! It’s boring and technical…can’t we just get out of here?” 

“Dad?” Zeref questioned, blinking between them.

This made Natsu grin, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Yup, I was kinda surprised too. I mean, our August is old and…well, different. Then, I thought about it a bit and realized you’re old too, so it kinda makes sense.” Based on Natsu’s logic, the dragon slayer had assumed that the same relationship existed in Earthland. 

Something grabbed the staff in his hand, yanking on it fiercely. Turning, Zeref saw Mavis attempting to reclaim her weapon with a glare. “You are fools. If you think I’m going to let a single one of you take my husband from me, you are wrong. I’ll destroy you myself if I have to.” 

He had been questioning it before, but now, Zeref had lost the haze of his anger. Her words now seemed to snap him back to reality A clarity that he had lost the moment he saw her in the streets of the Royal City returned to his mind. This girl before him, her words were not what Mavis Vermillion would say. No, they were his own words, the way he would react if he had forgotten the value of life. Just now, he had nearly done so again, and he knew just how dangerous such a mindset could be. Mavis Ashley was far more like him than she was like Mavis Vermillion.

With that thought, Zeref shoved her back, gripping the staff tightly. There was no one he hated more than himself, and seeing that resemblance shattered the illusion that he could be happy here. “You knew. The moment Natsu walked into the room…you recognized him.” His voice was dark, almost empty as he walked towards her.

Staring up at him, Mavis scowled. “Of course I did. However, I also knew that you would not fight, if you knew he was your brother. Based on everything you told me before, you did not see Natsu as your brother, so it was far more beneficial to keep it hidden. That way, you would fight for me.” Smiling, she held a hand out towards him. “You still can, Zer. Together, we can overcome this weakness and finally save my sister.”

Staring at her offered hand, Zeref kept his expression blank and empty. “You are asking me…to join you?” Glancing towards Natsu, Zeref sighed. “I’ve realized something just now about you. Before, I continually saw you and thought of Mavis Vermillion. The way you smile, the sound of your laugh…it is all identical to her. However, there is one striking difference between the two of you.” Taking a step closer, Zeref stared down at her with a frown. “You remind me of myself, something she never did.”

The girl by his feet saw this as a good thing, smiling brightly. “See? We are good for each other, Zer. We understand each other like no one else does…I can help you when this is all over. We’ll do everything together, and be a family. Isn’t that what you want?” Her green eyes seemed to plead with him, but instead, Zeref turned towards Natsu.

“May I have some more magic, Natsu? It appears as if I used too much when creating Gia.” It was slowly becoming clear that this boy was his brother. Natsu was alive, and now, he had a new purpose in mind.

Instead of shooting fire towards him like he expected, Natsu tossed a small pill towards him. Zeref caught it with his free hand, staring down at it with a frown. “That’s what I used. Works a hell of a lot better than some temporary magic from a staff if you ask me.”

Nodding, Zeref rubbed his fingers over the smooth surface of the dark violet pill. If he did this, his curse would be back in full swing. However, he also found that he was still feeling angry today. His dream had just been shattered, and he wasn’t feeling forgiving to anyone. However, there was still a lingering attachment to life that he was afraid of. Internally, he was debating just how much of a risk he would be taking.

Seeing the conflict within him, Mavis smiled and reached over to grasp the bottom edge of the staff. “Here, I’ll even help you. I understand if you can’t attack your friends, so I will do it for you.” With a dark smile, red light began to appear at the top of the staff. Seeing it, Zeref’s resolve hardened, his hand closing over the pill suddenly. Throwing it down his throat, Zeref released the staff to give her at least a fighting chance.

“There is something I never told you, Mavis Ashley. As I stated before, you remind me strongly of myself…and, if I am being quite honest, I despise my very existence.” With a dark smile, Zeref raised his hand. Energy was thrumming back in his veins, a powerful magic that he had gotten used to not having. “My entire life, I’ve only destroyed the world around me. If you wish to go down that path yourself, I refuse to stand by your side. You’ve used me to attack my own family. You’ve turned down a dark path, attempting to end lives yourself. Worst of all, you’ve forced me to receive something I wished to abandon. For the sin of making my curse return…”

He was about to get ready to kill her, when a hand grabbed his arm from beside him. “Wait. Let me…try to reason with her.” Edo-Zeref was staring at him, begging him to stop. Seeing this man, Zeref slowly began to realize something. This world’s Mavis was never his to love. In a way, he had been stealing her away from himself. 

Nodding, Zeref dropped his arms and stepped away. “Do what you need to do. She isn’t my problem…this isn’t my world. In fact, I think it is time for us all to return home at this point.” Zeref was simply feeling tired now, exhausted and done with Edolas. The allure of a world without magic was gone, now that his magic had returned. The promise of a future with Mavis had shattered, the moment he saw the truth behind her mask. Now, he was just empty, feeling dissatisfied and unmotivated. Glancing towards Gia, he sighed and tossed the book he held towards Natsu. “Take care of that for me. I’m sorry for causing you so much pain by creating it in the first place.”

With a smirk, flames ignited in the dragon slayer’s palm, burning through the book. As it did so, the demon before them vanished, burning away with the pages in Natsu’s grip. Turning towards the door, Zeref began to walk out. Following behind him were Natsu and Lahar. Glancing back one last time, Zeref saw Mystogan nod, giving him a small smile. It was time for him to return home, too. Zeref would take care of the animas, by destroying the machine in this world. After doing so, he would bring them back home to Earthland with his own magic.


	62. Advice for the Future

After spending so much time in this castle, Zeref knew it quite well. He was silent as he walked, unsure of what to say to his companions. Not only were things uncomfortable with Natsu due to their belief that the dragon slayer actually was his brother, but he had also just attempted to kill them. It wasn’t so simple as apologizing and moving on. However, focusing on a goal was something Zeref excelled at. If he could get them out of Edolas, they would at least be able to move forward in some way.

Just because Zeref wasn’t talking, didn’t mean the others weren’t trying. “So, why didn’t you tell me I was your brother?” Natsu’s voice was not something he wanted to focus on right now. Part of him still didn’t know if it was true or not. The dragon slayer had made it a possibility, but that did not guarantee it was reality. Zeref lived in a world of facts and truths, anything less was not accepted until all other possibilities were eliminated.

When Zeref did not reply, Lahar sighed and turned towards the dragon slayer. “I told you before, he thought you were dead.” 

“I wanna hear it from him!” Natsu demanded, rolling his eyes. “Come on, if you found out you had a brother, you’d want to ask him some questions too, right?”

Staring between them, Lahar actually seemed to consider it. “Perhaps, depending on who he was. In your situation…I actually think I’d want almost nothing to do with my brother. No offense to Zeref, but based on rumors alone, he isn’t that pleasant to be around. Also, with his curse I would fear for my life if I actually strengthened our family ties.” At least one of them had a logical answer. Turning down another hall, Zeref continued leading them towards the place where Mavis created the animas.

The dragon slayer considered it, before grinning at the rune knight. “Well, you may have a point, but I’ve got immunity! Zeref can’t kill me, here, I’ll show ya!” That sent a wave of alarm through him. In no way did he want to test the limits of the dragon scale scarf around Natsu’s neck. Moving quickly, Zeref flattened himself to the wall to avoid the dragon slayer who charged forward to tackle him down.

The boy landed on his stomach on the ground. Natsu lifted his head, still grinning as he turned towards Zeref. “Come on, do that thing again! It’s not like there’s anyone else around to get hurt.”

Running a hand through his hair, Zeref took a deep breath. It appeared as if silence wasn’t an option, not with him. “Are you insane? I’ve told you before how it works, Natsu. Not only is Lahar present, but I also only have control over my curse when I do not value life. Unleashing it on command only works in situations like before, when I am angered to the point where I can kill without guilt.”

“Oh yeah? Well, then explain why the hell you were like that before. I just don’t get it, that chick wasn’t anything like the Mavis you told me about.” Zeref hadn’t ever really described Mavis to either of them, but Natsu clearly had some of his own assumptions in place.

Then again, it was better for him to focus on that then on what Zeref had been trying to do. “I…I wanted to protect her. In this world…Mavis’ story is my own.” It was hard to explain beyond that. When he had a way of sympathizing with her pain, combined with memories muddling his thoughts, it created the daze he had been in this entire time. Even he didn’t understand entirely why he had not seen through the illusion to find the truth, but it wasn’t a mistake he wanted to focus on.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Lahar stepped closer with a frown. “Wouldn’t that do the opposite? By protecting her, you are valuing her life, aren’t you?”

Smiling, Zeref chuckled. “Yes, I suppose I am…but I am also forgetting the value of the other lives around me in return. Everything appears as a threat, and eliminating it is the quickest path to protect her. I suppose it didn’t help to have her encouraging that behavior…in Earthland, I often viewed her advice and mindset as a second conscience of mine.” She had kept him on a lighter path, for a brief time.

“That’s…confusing.” Natsu scratched his hair, frowning as Zeref began to walk down the hall again. “You forget the value of life…by trying to protect someone’s life…damn it, doesn’t anything make sense about you?”

Thinking about it, Zeref raised an eyebrow. “When you consider the fact that the name of my curse is the Curse of Contradictions, everything makes perfect sense.” That didn’t help the dragon slayer though, so Zeref only sighed and shook his head. “I…I am sorry, you know. I lost sight of a few things for a moment. It isn’t easy, finding hope for a brighter future and then letting go when you see it is just an illusion. My goal was to keep a grasp on that illusion for as long as possible, so I wouldn’t have to lose her again.”

Grinning, Natsu clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Not a problem! I pick fights with people all the time, it was actually kind of fun. Didn’t really expect the dragon, though, that was kinda awesome.” Of course, only Natsu would consider a life or death battle fun.

Lahar let his hands drop to his sides, shaking his head with a small smile. “Yes, and I do suppose I deserved it, after arresting you and attempting to execute you. This simply makes us even.” The rune knight captain’s forgiveness was even more unusual than Natsu’s, making him pause and turn towards the man. “Though, I am curious…about August…”

The name was enough to make Zeref frown, staring at the hall before them instead. “I…I don’t know. It shouldn’t be possible, all things considered.” August had come to him as a child, lost and alone. After speaking with the boy and seeing his potential, Zeref had been intrigued with someone so young yet so strong. When August asked to stay with him to learn more, it had been a golden opportunity during the time when he wanted to lose himself in mindless tasks. August had been sent to his empire to train immediately, though he had not been present for much of it. Expanding his empire only distracted him for so long, before he found a desire to return to isolation within Tenrou Island.

Thinking back, Zeref actually began confusing himself about the timing. Had he met Zeref before or after Makarov came for him on Tenrou Island? Perhaps he had simply taken a break from the guild at that time…either way, the event was odd, even if he couldn’t quite place the timing of it properly. However, there were a few odd quirks about August that made him question if the relationships within Edolas meant more in their world than he thought. For Mavis, it could be possible for her to be some distant Aunt of Lucy’s. For August…well, that would be more complex. It wasn’t necessarily impossible for Mavis to have conceived a child, but he did not think it would have survived within Lumen Histoire, let alone been born at all.

“He seemed kinda weird over here too…but he isn’t nearly as scary with that kid-face of his. I bet I could’ve taken August if he was still a kid!” Grinning at Zeref, Natsu looked rather excited about the idea.

Tilting his head, Zeref smiled slightly. “Actually, August was quite skilled then too. In fact, I actually questioned if he was stronger than I am…relatively speaking.” If he took away the centuries of time behind him, and the curse, there were actually quite a few wizards who would be able to compete with his power. It simply had been difficult to find them, but he had the patience required to unite them within his empire.

“Somehow, I find that rather difficult to believe.” Lahar commented, observing him quietly. “Even if you did not have your curse, it takes a deep understanding of the complexities of how magic operates to determine…what you did.” His gaze slid over towards Natsu, looking rather uncertain as Zeref frowned once more.

Following Lahar’s gaze, Zeref sighed. “Even that has yet to be proven true, Captain. Regardless, August’s power is far more dangerous than you might think. I may know much about magic, but he can claim to know all forms of magic…well, nearly all of them, at least.”

To be honest, Zeref didn’t even know for sure just how many magics August had learned. It came with his unusual gift, a form of magic that Zeref had not seen before encountering August. After a few months of training the child, the black wizard found himself fascinated by how August seemed to master magic so quickly. Wizards far older than him would lose in sparring matches, and he gained the ability to overwhelm nearly an entire squad of his army in an instant. Magic like that was something that even Zeref couldn’t manage, especially when he saw multiple branches of magic being used. Not only did August master fire magic in a brief time, he also began to use other elemental magics. 

Observing him more closely, Zeref himself began overseeing his training. While the black wizard never sparred with him, he did send Irene on occasion to test his limits. At first, those battles had gone as he expected. With Irene’s strength and magic, no mere child could defeat her. Then, on their third time sparring together, Zeref had been shocked. August hadn’t won, but he did hold his ground against the woman that had been heading his army at the time. Her enchantments had made her body far stronger than any opponent could withstand, and her creations fought side by side with the woman. However, August had smiled at her, looking rather pleased as he declared a single fact that confused Zeref. “I’ve seen this magic before.”

That became a common quote for the boy, and what made Zeref realize exactly what he was doing. Irene had still won in that battle, but he had witnessed August’s shocking ability when he utilized Irene’s enchantments as if they were his own. The ability to copy any magical ability and counter it completely, that was the gift August had been given. Growing that gift would make him more powerful than any wizard that ever lived. 

His companions were still staring at him in stunned silence. “That’s why he’s so strong? Damn, I’ll have to train extra hard if I wanna beat him. When we get back, remind me to grab Happy so we can go on a training mission soon. I don’t care if he works with Lisanna now, he was my partner first.” There was a slight grumble to Natsu’s voice, determined to get what he wanted.

“I think you’re missing the point. It is impossible for any wizard to know all magic. August simply can’t…” Lahar trailed off, sounding more uncertain.

Smiling, Zeref began searching for the next hall to turn down. Perhaps he did not know these halls as he thought he did. “His power is unique, something I doubt another wizard could replicate.” The ironic comment nearly made him chuckle, but he stopped before he made the others question his sanity. After all, there was only so much he could explain about August’s magic, considering he was talking to a rune knight from Fiore.

The others were waiting for more, but Zeref did not add anything further. Instead, he stopped suddenly when he felt Natsu grab his arm. The boy’s head swiveled behind them, sniffing the air with a frown. “Someone’s coming. It smells like…Mavis, er, the other Mavis, not our Mavis.” There was only one Mavis in this world, but Zeref didn’t bother pointing it out. However Natsu managed to distinguish between the two was not his problem.

Following his gaze, Zeref’s smile vanished and he grew tense. He may have agreed to spare her for his other self, but if she attacked now, he would retaliate. Odds were he actually wouldn’t have a choice in the matter, if he couldn’t keep his thoughts focused. “Wait! Please, wait a second!” Mavis’ voice was out of breath as she ran down the hall.

He heard Lahar scoff, turning to walk away regardless of her pleas. However, Zeref stopped when he saw the familiar sight of Mavis running down the hall. As she neared them, she seemed to grow off balance, stumbling over the skirts of her dress and falling on her face. Her staff was sent skittering across the floor. Mavis’ hands reached up and touched her head, a slight grimace on her face. “Ow….” The sight made Zeref hesitate, memories coming back once more. This was not his Mavis, but she certainly had similar characteristics.

Knowing he’d likely regret this, Zeref slowly took a step closer, gazing down at her emotionlessly. “You will not stop us. We are leaving, Mavis, this place is not our home. I should have seen that long ago.” 

Lifting her head towards him, Mavis slowly began pushing herself up off of the ground. She didn’t look pleased, but she also wasn’t as infuriated as he had expected. What he didn’t notice at first, however, were the tears hidden on her face as she hung her head low. Her blond hair fell over her shoulders, dangling in front of her dress and covering part of her cheeks. “I…I just don’t understand. How…when I met you, you said…you thought he was dead.” She pointed towards Natsu, her head lifting slightly as she sniffled.

Raising an eyebrow, Zeref crossed his arms over his chest. “I have yet to determine if he is, in fact, my brother. Should that be proven true, then yes, you are correct.” In many ways, Zeref was almost hoping it wasn’t true. If Natsu was his brother, then that meant he had grown to nearly be friends with…well, the monster destined to kill him. 

Closing her eyes, Mavis’s shoulders shook slightly as she took a deep breath. “How are you moving on? I don’t…I’ve tried, so many times.” Her green eyes looked lost, uncertain as she gazed away. “I thought that if I brought her back, I wouldn’t be alone anymore. Losing Lucy…no, it wasn’t just her. Losing my whole family….how does anyone move on from that?”

Those were the words he had expected from his Mavis, the desire to have friends and a family. His black eyes widened slightly at the realization, finally seeing what this world did. Mavis was still herself, just if she had taken a much darker path to create the family she desired long ago. They were different, not complete opposites. However, her words had a different effect than she likely wanted. Zeref knew all too well how he dealt with everything. It wasn’t a pleasant thing to share.

Glancing towards Natsu, Zeref shook his head. “I’m not the person you should be asking. At one time, I was like you. I did everything in my power to return my family to me….however, now, I do not think I would be likely to repeat that mistake.” Glancing back towards Mavis’ green eyes, Zeref decided that perhaps he could help her after all. “However…there is one person, who helped me long ago when I reached my darkest point. Never have I claimed to have moved on, Mavis. I’ve accepted that I am destined to be alone, and that I will never be what society considers a good person. However, that has only lead to a single impossible desire…the desire for my own death. As I stated before, my advice is not what you need. Rather, I think you need the advice of Mavis Vermillion, your counterpart in my world.”

Behind her, Edo-Zeref and August were seen rushing to catch up with her. They stopped staring at the group before them with wide eyes. Zeref caught the pleading gaze of his counterpart, making him smile slightly and nod. “She lost everything too, just as you did. However, rather than giving up and focusing on what was lost, she looked to what she could gain. My Mavis created a new family for herself…a place where anyone was welcome, and where friendship became a more powerful bond than any magic you’ve seen. I’ve spent the last century of my life…keeping that family of hers alive, because it is what she asked me to do. That is a duty I cannot abandon…not until the day I free her and return my Mavis to her rightful place in Fairy Tail.”

Green eyes stared up at him, blinking through tears. “I still don’t…I feel so…I just can’t imagine…” she seemed unable to get the words out, but Zeref understood her far better than anyone else at the moment.

Nodding, he glanced back towards his counterpart. “You are angry. At the same time, you are sad…miserable…a state of suffering that you feel will never end. That is the same feeling I’ve lived with for centuries…and it is also why I know you must find a better path.” Smiling lightly, he stepped closer and gently turned Mavis towards her family. “I have fallen into darkness…far too much to ever gain redemption. It isn’t too late for you. Find a way to be happy, and make your family, starting with them. I’m certain they’ll help guide you down the right path…and if you ever need anyone to explain the Fairy Tail mindset to you again, Mystogan, or Jellal as you call him, will be more than capable of speaking of it with you.”

“Actually, I think you may be wrong about that.” Behind him, Lahar stepped forward and glanced around. “Based on our records, you haven’t actually done anything of noteworthy value in…approximately two hundred and fifty three years. Granted, that is based on memory, so my research may have been a bit faulty from when we had you detained in Era. What was that creation then again? I want to say that was Lullaby, actually, but the details are unimportant.”

After living for so long, even Zeref didn’t know which of his demons were created at that date. Lullaby would have made sense, but for some reason, Zeref actually felt like Deliora was the last one he made. Either way, it had been a while since he made any. “Don’t get all technical about it, Lahar. Zeref’s redeemable because he’s a good guy, who just made a mistake a long time ago. All we gotta do is break his curse, and then he’ll be a normal wizard again.” Natsu grinned and threw an arm around the rune knight captain’s shoulders, leaving the man blinking at him in speechless shock.

It clearly wasn’t what Lahar had been planning on, but the sight was amusing anyway. Chuckling slightly, Zeref shook his head and sighed. Behind him, Mavis slowly began to nod, smiling slightly with him. “You know, Natsu’s an idiot no matter what world he’s in. I tried to tell Lucy that, but she never would listen.” Glancing towards her, Zeref raised an eyebrow. She only gave him a bittersweet smile, the look of someone finally fining their path after losing so much. “We’ll leave your magic alone from now on. I never should have tried to take it in the first place. Also…” Bending over, Mavis picked up her staff and handed it over to Zeref. “I want you to take this. Magic is what started corrupting me in the first place…making me think the impossible could become real. I don’t want it…if it will tempt me to become like….” She trailed off, gazing at him and biting her bottom lip.

Taking the staff, Zeref nodded with a self-deprecating smile. “Me. Do not worry about insulting me, Mavis. As I stated before, I dislike myself immensely…and I have heard far worse over the centuries than that.” When normal people ran away from him with screams of terror, he had grown used to the idea that no one would actually enjoy being near him.

He didn’t know what he would do with the device in Earthland, but for now, he would keep it as a reminder. Nothing was ever as it appeared, even those bearing the face of an old friend. Turning away from the royal family of Edolas, Zeref began walking towards his portal home once more. Mavis made no move to stop them. In fact, she eventually laughed and corrected their path, moving to take the lead and direct them towards the proper room. Before long, she had opened an anima for them, pulling them back into their own world. Waving goodbye as they vanished in a sea of light, Zeref found that oddly, he was going to miss this other Mavis. She had shown him that even on a path towards darkness and self-destruction, it was still possible to return to a brighter place. Maybe when he returned, he’d find his brighter path, the way to escape his suffering and simply live a peaceful life.


	63. Unstable Mind

Natsu, Lahar, and Zeref arrived back in the same place they left from. Trees surrounded them as they stood in the forest on the outskirts of Era. Zeref wondered how much time had passed in this world, but in a way, it didn’t matter. Regardless of how many years went by, wizards would always search for him and nothing would ever really change. The only thing that may have altered was his status as wanted by the Magic Council, but perhaps that was a bit too much to hope for.

As Zeref gazed around at the greenery surrounding them, no one seemed to move at first. Natsu looked like he was smelling the air, trying to determine what was around him. Lahar was observing the two of them silently, frowning slightly as he began to look thoughtful. Zeref was joining him in thoughtfulness, wondering if their temporary alliance was over. It should be, considering they were back, but the rune knight was making no move to capture him once more.

It was night time, with a half-moon shining brightly in the sky. Stars were blocked from view by clouds, and there was a light breeze in the air. No one seemed to be near this place, at least, not at the moment. Maybe Natsu could sense something further, but Zeref was inclined to believe that the rune knights had moved on from their search near Era long ago. The flow of time in Edolas could be far different from that of Earthland, or it could be identical. Either way, time had definitely passed since the three of them vanished, regardless of how much had gone by.

Unsure of what way to go, Zeref questioned if he should still be fleeing or not. Right now, the rune knights had likely assumed he was far away from Era. Staying nearby might be the best choice, if he wished to avoid capture. Then again, Lahar was still here as well. Gazing towards the rune knight, Zeref narrowed his eyes, suspicion making him wonder if the captain could be trusted or not at this point. “Captain, am I correct to assume our brief truce has come to an end?”

The rune knight captain frowned, looking hesitant as he glanced between Zeref and Natsu. “I…it is difficult to say.” It was better than an outright agreement, Zeref supposed, but it was still not an answer that made him trust Lahar. “My position dictates that I should arrest both of you, however…my own sense of justice is telling me otherwise. Perhaps there is a compromise between the two…” His brows drew together, while he seemed to pause and think for a moment. “If I recall, you never received a fair trial. Once we return to Era, I do believe I can appeal to the correct members of the Council to get one arranged. From there…we could at least have a chance of setting you free.”

Snorting, Natsu grabbed Zeref’s arm and pulled him away from Lahar. “Yeah, like that’s gonna happen. Zeref’s not going back to that place, not after what happened last time.” Zeref was wondering why he wasn’t allowed to make the choice, but he didn’t get the chance to interject.

“That was a mistake, one they've likely learned from.” Lahar’s argument was probably valid. The Council would move on to some other form of execution, perhaps burning him alive, drowning him, or even burying him. All would still fail, and Zeref shuddered at the thought of just how uncomfortable that future might be. “As I stated before, there is a chance for them to completely pardon him for his crimes, though it is slim. A few on the Council were against your execution….four, to be exact.”

That number made Zeref pause, frowning as he glanced up. “Four? I assumed only Warrod and God Serena had sided to spare me…” It was an interesting puzzle, trying to determine the motives of the other two. Were there legitimate wizards with reasons to gain his power? That was highly unlikely, since his magic was almost always known for its darker purposes.

“I’m going to assume that I don’t want to know why those two would side with you…” Lahar sighed and shook his head, pressing a hand to his forehead.

Smiling, Zeref glanced off towards an oak tree standing nearby. “For God Serena…that is likely correct. However, Warrod is a tale I don’t mind sharing too much. It is practically public knowledge that he is a former wizard of Fairy Tail. I trained him myself, actually.”

That made the rune knight captain look even more stressed, but he moved on. “Regardless, the other two that may side with us would be Siegrain and Ultear. From what I heard, they doubt your identity in the first place. Even so, four was not enough to stand against the entire Council’s decision, but we can petition for a proper trial, especially now that another person is involved.” Lahar’s gaze slid over towards Natsu, looking a bit tense as he stared at the dragon slayer.

“You wanna arrest me, too?” Natsu blinked in surprise, before laughing at the comment. “Ha, like that’d do us any good! I mean, we all know that I didn’t really do anything wrong, right?”

Raising an eyebrow, Zeref turned towards him. “You did help break me free from Era, Natsu. And, since you are so insistent on claiming to be my brother…there is likely another reason for you to be wanted….though, to my knowledge you never actually performed anything worthy of being labeled as a crime.” To be honest, he wasn’t certain if END had been sealed the entire time or not. Either way, Natsu would be wanted as a demon simply so they could research more on his creations.

Glancing between them, Lahar frowned. “Isn’t there some way of testing that? I’ve heard of spells that could determine if two people were related…but I can’t say that I know where to find such tools.” Those had stemmed from healing magic, from what Zeref recalled. Something within a person’s blood could be sensed, and with that, it could tell if another was similar enough to them to be from the same parents. It was an odd method that Zeref never liked much, but along with healing magic, he was fairly certain that the trade had vanished.

Within the medical field, perhaps it could be revived, but Zeref didn’t think Natsu had the time required to research that much into it. As a result, there was likely only one way to determine the truth…which was not something Zeref was inclined to do at the moment. “Yes, but…I would not even attempt such a thing, without a certain item on my person. There are more dangers than you’d think, to test out your theory…hmm, I wonder, how will it react to…” Zeref cut himself off, trying to stop himself from speaking his thoughts. Natsu had become a dragon slayer, and if he was Zeref’s brother, that also meant he was a demon. From what he understood, Natsu’s body was inclined to become much more like that of a dragon’s, even with Igneel blocking the final transformation. Would the demonic magic in him interfere in some way? He’d have to look into it, to be sure.

“Who cares about danger? I’ll just burn away anything that comes to bring us trouble. At the moment, I just wanna know if you’re really my brother, ‘cus it’s been bothering me ever since I heard your name back in Edolas.” Natsu crossed his arms over his chest, smirking towards Zeref.

That made the black wizard raise an eyebrow at Natsu, uncertain of just how many risks the boy was willing to take. “Are you sure? My statement before was not meant to be taken so lightly, Natsu. I can attempt to test it, however…it is likely that we would need to find a way to contain you first. After all, if you are my brother, there is one fact about you that must be true.”

He frowned, not seeming to understand. Even Lahar moved to observe them more closely, trying to figure out the puzzle himself. “I’m not following you. Just how do you intend to test if you are related or not?”

Turning his head towards Lahar, Zeref tilted his head slightly. “You know of my past. Tell me, based on the stories you’ve heard, what am I most known for?”

Looking a bit uncomfortable, Lahar replied tersely. “Death and demons. You are the most evil wizard to walk the earth, according to the stories.”

Nodding, Zeref narrowed his eyes. “And based on that alone, just what do you think I am implying?” It was not a piece of information Zeref wanted to give away so lightly. If Lahar couldn’t figure it out with that, he would move on.

Slowly, the rune knight captain seemed to figure it out. He stumbled back slightly, gasping and staring at Natsu in shock. “No…he can’t be…Natsu is a normal wizard, a dragon slayer!” The rune knight’s insistence was only a form of denial to Zeref.

“He is, however, he also is not. At the moment, his true power is dormant…though I can awaken it, if I choose to do so.” Shrugging, Zeref decided to explain a bit further. “Granted, this is all based on the assumption that he is my brother. If you are so certain that he is nothing more than a wizard, we can stop the speculation now and move on. It would be much safer, considering I do not have his book with me.”

Glancing between them, Natsu slowly began to frown and scratch his hair. “Huh? I don’t get it…what are you two so shocked about?”

Staring at him, Lahar swallowed sharply. “Natsu…he’s claiming that if you are his brother…you are also a demon. I don’t understand how or why…but to test out his theory, he’d have to fully awaken the demon inside of you, or fail to do so if he is wrong.”

“Once again, it is much safer if I have the Book of E.N.D. with me. While I can attempt to seal away that power again without it…the book acts as a key of sorts, that can lock and unlock that power at will. Only I truly understand how to command it, so it is quite useless in someone else’s hands, unless that person wishes to die.” He had seen it before, when a human found one of the books belonging to his demons. The writing within was twisted and dark, tainted with black magic. Once the book was opened and contacted by a normal person, the words would taint their bodies and poison them with demonic magic, slowly burning them from the inside out until there was nothing more left.

Narrowing his eyes, Natsu slowly studied Zeref. He looked uncertain, before he slowly began to nod. “Alright, I guess that makes sense. I mean, demons are the only kind of life you know how to make, right? It kinda explains why I’d be one too…though I still don’t get why it’s a problem. I trust you, so just do it and we’ll figure out what do later if something goes wrong.”

It was a rash and thoughtless decision, but Zeref couldn’t help but feel as if it was to be expected, coming from Natsu. Sighing, he glanced towards Lahar with a frown. “Could you prepare an enchantment, then? I’d suggest something that would simply contain Natsu for the time being. When this activates, he will likely attack me immediately otherwise.” It was programmed into his nature, after all. 

Nodding, Lahar didn’t question it and slowly began writing out an enchantment, surrounding the dragon slayer. Purple words seemed to slowly begin flashing from the ground when he finished, rising to rest on an invisible wall in front of Natsu. Demons are not permitted to pass beyond this point. Glancing towards Zeref, Lahar hesitated and held out an arm first. “Wait. Even if his power is dormant, wouldn’t this enchantment keep him contained, with your theory?”

Staring at the words, Zeref questioned that fact himself. Theoretically, even if one of his creations was not in their Etherious form, they would still be considered demons to an enchantment of this nature. “It is worth an attempt, though I cannot be certain. The others have not been sealed away at all. I saw no need to preserve any humanity within them, thus they ended up solely being given the traits I saw fitting for them.” With Natsu, however, things had been different. He wanted the boy to retain his personality when he was alive, at least until Natsu was strong enough to destroy him. Despite fleeing in fear of killing Natsu with his curse, that had still been his hope when he first cast the spell on the baby originally. His entire family was meant to bring him peace in that manner, not only by ensuring he was not alone, but by also offering him a path to find peace at the end of what had appeared to be a never-ending trail of sorrow awaiting for him. Sometimes, Zeref still saw nothing but that darkened path, and those thoughts left him haunted and created nightmares he would never escape from.

While Zeref actually remained quite startled by his own comment, the others continued with their trial. Not only was he thinking about Natsu and his differences from the other demons, but his mind also began to wonder when he started trusting others so easily. Normally, he would not share quite so much information with other wizards. He disliked sharing his plans, when others could so easily interfere. However, sometime over the last few weeks, or perhaps months (he had lost track of time), he began to find himself opening up for the first time since meeting Mavis. Natsu had been the catalyst to breaking down the walls he had built around himself, but Lahar had somehow managed to make him wish for more friends.

Feeling a slight pounding in his head, Zeref took a step back and grimaced. These thoughts were not good, not when he was cursed as he was. More people would die, if he didn’t reign in control over his new tendency to trust in others. Scowling, he took a deep breath, letting a hand rest against his temples as he slowly lifted his gaze to observe Natsu. Focusing on this test was one way to keep himself under control. Thinking solely about the mechanics of the spell, and about the potential demonic magic within Natsu would keep him from thinking too much about the value of their lives.

As he watched the dragon slayer step forward, Zeref found himself frowning. The boy walked right into a wall, stumbling back slightly with a frown. Instead, Natsu began to pound against the air, looking irritated at the shield. “Come on, what the hell? Does this mean I actually am a demon?” With that, he scowled for a moment. Then, after a few seconds, the scowl vanished and his eyes seemed to widen slightly. A grin spread across his face, glancing towards Zeref. “Wait a second…that means I actually am your brother! Ha, I was right!”

Natsu was probably the only person who could be happy with learning that he was a demon. Still, Zeref didn’t know how to feel about the revelation. Part of him was too stunned to react. This confirmed their suspicions. Now, he couldn’t simply write off the situation as a mere possibility to keep himself distanced from the dragon slayer. Natsu Dragneel was his brother, and he was alive even after all of these years. A brief happiness flared within him, before he closed his eyes and crushed it down. He couldn’t be pleased with this, no matter how much he wished otherwise. Being happy right now would spell death for him once more, along with the death of the entire forest and Lahar who still remained near them.

He could feel his chest rising and falling, more rapidly each second. For a brief second, Zeref contemplated embracing his brother, before he fought back the impulse. The memory of killing Mavis flashed in his mind, making him flinch. Slowly, his hands began to move from his head to his hair, curling in the strands on his head and pulling them tightly. The pain would help him focus, and remind him of what he needed to do.

Another impulse took hold of him, the desire to take up Natsu’s old offer of a duel between them. If they fought, his power would awaken and Zeref would finally….no, he couldn’t. Zeref gritted his teeth together, slamming his eyes shut as he began dragging his hands through his hair, nearly tearing it out with his fingers. Distantly, he could hear Lahar and Natsu speaking of something, but it didn’t matter to him. The only thing he could feel was an uncertainty within him, and an insane edge to his thoughts. He was losing his grip on reality, and the very idea terrified him. Something needed to ground him, but if he found that, he would only cause far more suffering.

He could, however, hear the sound of the wheezing between his teeth. His chest was slowly beginning to burn with each breath as he sucked in too much air. Rather than simply feeling his head throb, a pulse seemed to emanate throughout his entire body. His arms seemed to fill with dark energy, pulsing in unison with his heartbeat. Zeref’s black eyes flashed open, a wide panic rising in him. This was going to be a far larger explosion of his curse than he was used to. Even when it had released after being contained by magic suppressors, Zeref had not felt this unhinged and out of control.

Seeing the look on his face, Natsu seemed to glance towards Lahar with wide eyes. “Get me out of this thing now! We gotta get out of here.” He seemed to consider saying something more, but Lahar had moved to answer his call. However, Zeref got to it first. He may not be fully stable, but he knew one thing for certain. He was not going to be responsible for killing his brother, not after finally discovering that he was still alive after all this time.

The words before Natsu seemed to reshape themselves, the words changing until the enchantment broke in an instant. Lahar blinked in surprise, but did not manage to get a word out as Natsu grabbed him by the arm, dragging the rune knight through the trees in an outright run. Watching them fade away in the distance, Zeref couldn’t help but release another half-choking breath of relief. His entire body hurt with untamed, wild energy, but Natsu was going to be safe. That alone made his eyes water, though he did realize that the reaction only made things worse.

It began small, at first. Zeref had not expected it to come out in such slight increments. A tiny swirl of black seemed to grow at his feet. Part of him almost sighed in relief at the release, the pain fading slightly as the restless energy emerged. Then, the true explosion came. The beast was awake, and it snarled and swallowed everything whole. Even Zeref could not see anything within the darkness, the storm blowing his robes around violently as his legs began to give out.

Normally, this would be the end of it. Plants would wither and die, while animals collapsed without suffering any pain. The sea of death and decay would expand, swallowing his surroundings, and then, it would fade away just as quickly as it began. Considering the devastation it left behind, Zeref often found himself marveling at how subtle it appeared. From inside, it truly did look almost like a cloud, though much darker in nature. Maybe….like a cloud in the night sky, appearing black due to the lack of light shining through the object. Regardless, it looked far more harmless than it should have.

As he sat in the storm, feeling his energy slowly ebb away, he began to frown. It wasn’t stopping. In fact, it wasn’t even slowing down. The swirls of black spun around his face, some of them whipping his hair back on occasion. Already, he could see the trees had decayed away completely. Not even withered trunks remained in their place. The ground was blackened, and not a single plant was visible. Only pure darkness and shadows, a world where his magic was the only force in existence. That was what this forest had become, and based on what he could see, it was not going to be changing anytime soon.


	64. Lack of Change

From the outside, all Lahar could see was darkness. The swirling vortex was widespread, and it was angry and restless. With Natsu still gripping his arm tightly, Lahar questioned just what he could do now. With their proximity to Era, there was no doubt that Zeref would be discovered. However, that did not mean he should just stand and watch as Zeref fell apart like this.

It was an odd desire, Lahar noted. Not too long ago, he would have been angry due to the magic blocking him from capturing the black wizard. Smiling slightly, he realized he’d come a long way. There was much more to Zeref than he first thought. Perhaps it was time to stop looking at history books and begin focusing on meeting actual people. After all, books turned out to be incomplete in painting a proper picture of the black wizard.

Lifting a hand, Lahar decided that he could at least attempt to do something. Writing a new enchantment, Lahar planned to keep Zeref’s magic contained for now. However, this would require a lot of his energy. Binding the entire forest required a massive area for the enchantment, and it would take time to expand his barrier that far. Closing his eyes in focus, Lahar pulled away from Natsu and began trying to work the energy to his advantage. The rules weren’t the hard part of this spell. It was a simple request, writing that no black magic will leave this area. 

Before long, purple lettering rose before their eyes. Just as the black cloud seemed to burst again, it slowly stopped against the wall formed with the words. His purple writing seemed to stand out even further, glowing with a dark light as the magic within crept along the wall like a cloud of smoke. It moved slowly, the strands searching for a path outward but finding no gaps in his barrier. “Nice work! That should keep it in for now…but what about Zeref?” Natsu had been grinning for a second, but that grin faded as worry took over.

Grimacing, Lahar rose back to his feet. That was not something he had an answer for. Based on what he had seen, learning that Natsu was his brother did not result in the reaction Lahar had expected. Rather than being pleased and eager to reunite with his family, the black wizard seemed to have a panic attack. There had been something mad in his eyes, and for a brief moment, Lahar almost thought they had turned red. That look had terrified him, the way he had briefly smirked at Natsu as if challenging the boy. However, the look had vanished in an instant, and Zeref lost control just moments later.

Thinking back, Lahar realized that perhaps he should have expected some form of this. Zeref stated that his magic was beyond his control, so long as he valued life. Learning that he still had family left alive was likely the trigger, but finding a way to end it was a different story. “Lahar, did you hear me? Come on, stop just staring at the crap and start doing something!” Natsu was complaining behind him, looking mildly irritated with a scowl on his face.

Running a hand through his hair, Lahar sighed and shook his head. “I don’t think there’s anything we can do.” Gazing into the magic, he wondered just where Zeref actually was within this mess. It had gotten so black that Lahar couldn’t even see the trees that had been just in front of them moments ago. “This is Zeref’s issue to deal with. So long as he is focused on valuing life…it will not come to an end. I don’t even know if my enchantment will hold out against this for long.”

Frowning, Natsu stepped forward and approached the barrier containing Zeref’s power. “Damn it, I think you might be right. As much as I hate to do this….” Natsu sighed and cupped his hands around his mouth, looking ready to shout. If the magic itself hadn’t been enough of a signal, this was going to make things even worse. “ZEREF! SNAP THE HELL OUT OF THIS, YOU IDIOT! DIDN’T YOU SAY I’M NOTHING BUT A PAWN, ANYWAY?”

Pawn? Lahar frowned at him, uncertain of what this was about. “LAHAR CONTAINED YOUR MAGIC, SO COME AND FACE ME RATHER THAN HIDING LIKE A COWARD! GIVE ME CRAP ABOUT HOW I’M AN IDIOT, OR INSANE, JUST GET A GRIP AND REALIZE THAT NOTHING’S REALLY CHANGED.” Being right next to Natsu was a bad idea, Lahar noted. That boy could be loud on a normal basis, this just took it to an even greater extreme. He edged slightly away from the boy, touching his ear lightly as he began to question if he had actually lost some of his hearing from Natsu’s shouts. Maybe the place just seemed much quieter, after the interruption of his voice.

Turning towards the dragon slayer, Lahar sighed. “I don’t think insulting him is the way to calm him down, Natsu. Honestly, I’m beginning to agree with Zeref about you being an idiot. I don’t quite know how to feel about that.” The dragon slayer snorted, rolling his eyes in response before grinning slightly as he pointed at the wall.

“Yeah? Then why is he coming towards us?” Squinting slightly to try and see through the haze of black magic, Lahar did manage to note a slightly darker blur within the swirls. Whether or not it was Zeref he couldn’t determine. “He told me about that, a while back. I didn’t quite get it at the time…but he said it was better if he saw everyone as pawns in his own little game…kinda makes this my fault, since I was the one who told him to forget about that and be friends with me.” The dragon slayer rubbed the back of his head, shrugging off the mistake far more easily than Lahar expected. He had a brighter outlook than Lahar ever realized, and it surprised Lahar to see just how easily he moved on from mistakes.

The form in the black magic was more definable now, definitely human in shape. Lahar watched as he approached, stumbling slightly and looking like he was about to collapse. In fact, when he arrived at the barrier, his legs did give out and Zeref hunched over on the ground. “I’m here…” He sounded just as weak as he looked, his voice cracking as if he hadn’t had a drink of water in ages. Seeing all of this, Lahar began to wonder just how much energy it took to unleash a spell like this. By now, he had to have run out, but it still kept going. “As for calling you an idiot….that isn’t quite true, I don’t think. You are far more perceptive than I first realized…however, you are insane. Do you even realize what purpose I have for you, Natsu?”

The dragon slayer grinned, crouching down on the grass. “Who cares? I mean, you can order me around all you want, but I’m the one who decides what I do in the end.” Frowning, he seemed to come up with something else as well. “Besides, you made those plans like what…four hundred years ago? You could’ve changed your mind since then, and I know you’ve done a lot since then too.”

Taking a shaky breath, Zeref seemed to close his eyes for a moment. The cloud around him briefly faded. Magic was no longer being added to it, but Lahar realized this much power would take time to dissipate. “If I view you as a pawn…there will be conflict within me. Part of me…part of me still wishes to live on, Natsu. I have to free Mavis, and manage her guild until she returns. At the same time, I also long for death. The power I gifted you with when resurrecting you…I had planned for my family to bring me peace, Natsu.”

It was far too subtle for someone as dense as Natsu to understand, Lahar thought. However, his eyes widened slightly when he figured it out. There was only one form of peace he had heard Zeref mention before. The man wanted to die, and he resurrected his family so that he could be killed by the people he once loved. It was twisted and dark, but for Zeref, it held some sort of logic to it. That family had been the source of contentment and happiness for him in the past, so it had a poetic feel for them to bring it to him in their final act as well.

Natsu was frowning at him, shrugging and sitting down in front of Zeref. “Like I said, whatever you wanna think doesn’t really matter. So, we’re brothers? Doesn’t change much, if you ask me. We’ve been hanging out for months now, and nothing bad has happened to me. It’s not like I’m different, and you aren’t different either. So, why don’t you just think of me as Natsu, while you keep being Zeref?”

This time, Lahar gave into the urge to smack his forehead over Natsu’s insane logic. Couldn’t he see that this was not the way to convince Zeref to stop? However, he was startled when he heard a light chuckle come from the black wizard. “Of course you’d suggest that. You don’t even have the slightest idea…” After a few moments, Zeref sighed and glanced around him. “As you wish, Natsu. For now, you will still be the bothersome wizard who refuses to acknowledge the danger that I pose to their life.”

Grinning, Natsu stood back up and nodded. “Yep! I mean, didn’t you realize it before? I’m protected by Igneel’s scarf, so it doesn’t really matter if I hang around you or not.” Lahar was curious about what convinced Natsu of this immunity, but he didn’t question it. Demonstrating that would likely put Zeref back in his panicked mindset, and he wanted to avoid that as much as possible.

Glancing towards Lahar, Zeref’s brows drew together and he frowned. “I…I don’t think it is a good idea to release this barrier, however.” Zeref glanced around behind him, looking even more troubled. “The more years I live, the more this curse effects me. Not only has it grasped a hold on my magic, it is slowly consuming my mind as well. This was the first time in…honestly, I can’t remember how long….that this has occurred.”

Those words sent a chill through him. Somehow, the idea of a curse as dark as this one consuming anyone’s mind wasn’t pleasant. “I…are you sure it isn’t something as simple as you gradually losing sight of the value of life?” It would grant him control over his magic, and as disturbing as it was, Lahar found it to be the better option. After all, at least that would be a reason for the altered personality of the black wizard.

Turning back towards Lahar, Zeref looked calm, considering his words before. “I’m not sure. There have been times when I’ve lost sight of it…and during those eras, I become well known throughout the world for nothing but death and destruction. This…it has a different feel, I suppose. My very thoughts are being consumed by contradictions, and one day, I will not be able to determine which path to take, because I will desire two completely opposite things. It is slowly driving me insane already…” Now, the calm visage Lahar had grown used to was fading. No, that wasn’t exactly correct. Lahar realized that Zeref’s expression remained unchanged, but in those dark black eyes, he could see fear. After spending so much time with this man, Lahar found he could read him so much easier, despite the fact that much about him remained too mysterious for anyone to comprehend.

Zeref pressed a hand to his forehead, frowning and shaking his head. “Never mind, I shouldn’t have even said anything. Perhaps I have already gone insane. I never speak so openly about myself…nor do I speak of my past. Both of those rules were broken.” He sighed and glanced towards them. At this point, the black magic behind him was fading away, leaving just faint swirls of darkness in the air. 

Observing the aftermath, Lahar tried to avoid altering his expression. From what little he knew, Zeref felt enough guilt over what his curse did. Lahar wasn’t going to add to that. However, keeping his expression blank was a difficult challenge. The trees he had thought were hidden by Zeref’s magic actually weren’t hidden at all. They were destroyed. Piles of black ash-like substance rested where their trunks had once been, decayed beyond recognition. The ground itself was covered in nothing but black dirt, not a single trace of life to be seen. A few bones were scattered behind him, the remains of various animals that had been caught within the blast. The only thing alive and moving within the forest was Zeref himself, and he was far too calm considering the destruction left in his wake.

Natsu, however, wasn’t that concerned with the death of the forest. “Then we’ll just have to get rid of your curse before that happens. I told ya before, I’m going to help you find a way to get rid of it, one that doesn’t involve killing you, Zeref.” With that, the dragon slayer grinned and clapped a hand on Lahar’s shoulder. “Besides, it can’t be too hard! We’ve got a rune knight helping us too, so I’m certain he can find some super-secret Magic Council research on your curse, right?”

This dragged Lahar’s attention away from the forest, and made him sigh and press his hand to his forehead again. “That isn’t exactly how it works, Natsu.” He was too exasperated to truly explain it further. While he did have connections within the Magic Council, he highly doubted that even they knew of this curse. If they did, it would have been unlikely for them to label Zeref as such a monstrous villain in history. Curses often were not the fault of the victim, though in a way, this one was. It made it that much more confusing to deal with, when there wasn’t exactly a person he could blame for the death caused. He was used to justice being black and white, but Zeref had made those lines blur, and now, Lahar didn’t know what path was the correct one for anyone to take, much less himself.

Raising an eyebrow, Zeref looked towards Lahar. “Is that so? Somehow, I find it doubtful that even they comprehend the nature of my curse.” Once again, Lahar found himself feeling disturbed by how his thoughts aligned with those of the black wizard. He suppressed a shudder, looking away. In the distance, he could see a large group approaching, faint and nothing but tiny silhouettes at the moment, but moving quickly. The rune knights had discovered their presence. “Regardless, I do believe the plan was for us to be arrested. At the moment…it just may be best, to be in a place that suppresses my magic in some form.”

The dragon slayer frowned, but didn’t argue against it. Before Lahar could speak, however, Zeref smiled and shook his head. “Waiting for them would likely be best as well. Based on the enchantment around me, it appears as if you’ve defeated me in combat, Captain. It would also give you the right to speak with the Council, since they are bound to question you about our disappearance and about how you managed to capture me once more.” This was the kind of plan Lahar expected from him. There were no emotions taken into consideration, and it was a simple statement of facts based on what things appeared to be. “Though, I will warn you, it would be best to keep my presence here hidden from the public. The Council is not the only group of wizards searching for me, after all.”

It didn’t surprise Lahar to hear that. Dark guilds everywhere did everything they could to get their hands on a mere creation of Zeref’s. Getting their hands on the wizard himself was likely even better for them. He wouldn’t be surprised if the Baram Alliance themselves were willing to team up to capture the black wizard. “That is not my decision to make, however, I will pass your warning along.” Turning back to face the approaching rune knights, Lahar calmed his expression and became far more focused. For the second time, he was going to arrest the black wizard, but this time, Lahar was determined to find a way to return Zeref to freedom.


	65. Family Bond

The arrest was taken care of swiftly. Both Zeref and Natsu ended up back in Era, locked within the cells below the main halls. Guards had returned to their usual rotations of keeping him observed at all times. However, Warrod and God Serena were forbidden from standing watch at his cell door. Based on the events from Zeref’s breakout, it was believed that Zeref had some form of influence over those two council members. Warrod took it with ease, but from what Lahar had heard, God Serena had been infuriated. He claimed that no one was more skilled than him, and that they’d all regret not allowing him to keep his post.

As such, the Magic Council was short two members for all matters involving Zeref. That meant there were only two members Lahar had left to appeal to for Zeref’s freedom. Neither one had been a huge fan of his, either. Siegrain was intimidating enough, but Ultear had an odd aura about her that left Lahar uncomfortable. Something about that woman’s smile made him feel chilled, and the way she rarely spoke only added to the effect.

Today, he was meeting with the entire council to cover what had occurred over the last two weeks. From what he had heard, that was how much time had passed since they vanished into Edolas. Now, the Council was demanding to know just what had occurred during that time.

Lahar stood in the center of a circular room, surrounded by the various members of the council. The lighting of the room was strange, likely due to the magic circles allowing the council members to almost hover in the air just slightly above where he stood. The blue circles spun around in the air, forcing Lahar to slightly squint as he tilted his head upward towards the members. Standing in front of him was Org, one of the older members of the council with balding hair and a long white beard and fluffy mustache. He was known for his strict enforcement of the rules, and his dislike of quick changes. From what Lahar understood, he was one of the ones that objected the most to Siegrain’s and Ultear’s motions within the Council.

Next to him, dressed in a tight fitting white gown, was Ultear herself. Her long black hair hung down over her shoulders, with her red lips stretched into a superior smile. On the other side of Org was Michello, a shorter man with brown hair and a matching brown mustache. For some reason unknown to Lahar, he almost appeared to have cat ears based on the shape of his hair, though the normal ears on the side of his face made the rune knight captain question if it was simply a style choice for the man. Michello was a man willing to go to extreme lengths if it meant seeing progress. Lahar knew convincing him to release Zeref would be a troubling task.

The two spots next to Michello were empty, simply floating circles meant to be inhabited by others. Lahar assumed these were the seats designated for Warrod and God Serena, though he couldn’t be entirely certain. Next to the empty spaces, just slightly behind Lahar’s face and to the left, was Siegrain. He looked calm as the meeting gathered, his arms crossed over his chest as he frowned down at Lahar. Next to him was another member known for his strict personality, and harsh temper. Wolfheim gazed down at him with a frown, his black glasses making him seem even more condescending. His white beard was short, but the rest of his hair was covered by a round hat as he waited for the meeting to truly begin.

Finishing off the group between Ultear and Wolfheim were Yajima and Belno. Yajima may be one of the easier ones to win over, with his well-known mindset favoring Fairy Tail. However, Belno was his opposite. She strictly opposed the guild due to its destructive tendencies. Her blond hair and strict expression seemed to be attempting to intimidate Lahar even further, though he did not back down. Instead, he stared straight ahead into the eyes of Org, waiting for the meeting to truly begin.

“Everyone, we have gathered today to once more discuss the troubling matter of the Black Wizard Zeref, who is once again, captured and held within the prisons of Era.” Org glanced around calmly, looking troubled slightly. “Before us is the rune knight responsible for his arrest, not only once, but a second time after he escaped our grasp. Captain Lahar, do you care to explain how you managed to capture the one who has eluded us for so long?”

Behind him, Siegrain scowled. “Yes, I’d also like to know why it took you so long. Time is precious to us, especially in matters of such grave importance.” He sounded quite irritated, but Lahar didn’t turn to ascertain if his expression matched that tone.

“That is a rather long story…to start, perhaps I should explain that I had actually apprehended the criminal nearly two weeks ago.” This made a few of the members murmur, whispering to each other above Lahar. “However, a mysterious magic interfered with my ability to return him to his prison. A portal was created, linking our world to another. From what I gathered while in this other world, Edolas, there was a plot in place to steal away all the magic from our world. Seeing an imminent threat to the safety of our citizens, I realized that the higher priority was stopping this plot in this other world.”

Belno scowled, shaking her head. “You overstepped your bounds, Captain. We gave you no orders to deal with such an absurd plot that had no chance of success.”

Raising an eyebrow, Lahar turned towards her. “Is that so? What if the person behind the plot managed to convince Zeref himself to aid with it?” That made the Council pause, looking fearful once more. “I must admit…I was tricked as well. The entire time I was there, I had been under the impression that Zeref was evil. He worked side by side with the queen of that world, agreeing to steal away Earthland’s magic. Then, however, I realized his true plans. Zeref never once intended on harming us…rather, he turned on their queen and used his knowledge of Edolas to bring us all back to our world. I never would have found my way back, if he had not been there.”

“It sounds as if you’re friendly with him.” Yajima sounded concerned, leaning forward. “You can’t possibly be thinking that the Black Wizard Zeref wanted to help anyone, did you?”

Hesitating, Lahar glanced towards Jellal. “I…I can’t imagine the legendary Black Wizard I’ve heard so much about attempting to do such a thing. If anything…these events lead me to be inclined to believe Council Member Siegrain’s testimony from before. The man we’ve captured, while he is a powerful dark wizard, cannot possibly be Zeref.” The lie tasted sour in his mouth, but there was no other argument to make. Appealing to the Council with Zeref’s true intentions would not work. No one would believe that Zeref had reformed after all these years, and he would be right back where he started.

“Finally, someone who sees reason!” Siegrain sounded pleased with that, smiling as he gazed around. “Can anyone else see my logic? It has been four centuries since the Black Wizard was born. Simply put, it is impossible for any type of magic to extend life for that long, even if it is black magic. Regardless of if he died through age or in battle, Zeref cannot be alive today.”

Wolfheim shook his head, looking mildly irritated. “This is just another ploy of yours, isn’t it? You’re trying to get us to look into that tower again, aren’t you?” This was something Lahar hadn’t heard about, but it was clear he wasn’t welcome to interfere at the moment.

“Why would he do that?” Ultear was quick to defend Siegrain. “It isn’t as if we’d move to make a decision any quicker simply because this wizard isn’t Zeref. If anything, it would prolong Siegrain’s wait, since it would push us towards holding an actual trial for his crimes.”

Nodding, Org sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Yes, and maybe that is where we went wrong. During your time with this…Spriggan, for lack of another name, did you gain any information as to how he survived our execution methods?” 

Knowing Zeref would not want it to become fully publicized, Lahar went with the shortest explanation possible. “All I could gain was that it is a result of a curse of some form. Much of what we’ve witnessed, actually, is the result of the same curse.” Glancing towards the ground, Lahar’s hands clenched into fists. “I’ve seen it in person…you all saw the forest. No wizard has that kind of power…but the curse forced him to destroy the entire forest surrounding Era.”

Michello frowned, shaking his head. “Who cares what kind of power it is? He’s dangerous and a fool if he thinks we’re just going to sit back and let him destroy our home.” With a scowl, he glared at the other council members. “I say we keep trying! Something has got to be able to kill him, we just have to figure out what it is.”

“Don’t be a fool, Michello.” Belno looked grave as she gazed at her fellow wizards. “Curses are not something to be taken lightly. If we wish to execute him, we will likely need to break the curse first.”

“Maybe not.” Ultear smiled from her spot in the room. “There is a potential of finding a way around this curse. More accurately, we need information first.” 

Wolfheim looked like he was ready to speak out against this, but that was when the doors slammed open. Not expecting another newcomer to the meeting, Lahar’s eyes went wide and he spun around the door behind him. It shed a new light on the dimmed room, though it was only there briefly. Two of the guards within Era, the odd ones with frog-like faces that Lahar had gotten used to long ago, dragged a man in to the center of the floor. “As requested, we’ve brought the prisoner, Natsu Dragneel, in for questioning.”

This was a rare occasion. Interrogations were hardly ever performed by the Council. Almost always, it was performed in secret, by a single rune knight or in more serious cases, a single council member. The entire council convening, and meeting with a single prisoner, was unheard of. “Thank you. You are dismissed.” With that, the guards bowed slightly and backed out, leaving Natsu grimacing and sitting up on the ground.

“What the hell? Where am I?” Natsu glanced around before seeing Lahar. He grinned slightly, waving awkwardly with his cuffed hands. “Hey, it’s you! I didn’t expect to see you so soon, Lahar.”

Smiling, Siegrain eyed Natsu carefully. “So, this is the dragon slayer that has betrayed our nation. From what I heard, you singlehandedly broke Zeref free and fled from Era. If it wasn’t for you, we never would have lost our prisoner in the first place.” 

Gazing down at him, Yajima sighed. “To think, you once fought for releasing him, Siegrain. Never once did we expect him to fall this far.” There was a sad look in his gaze, while Natsu frowned and glanced around at the council members.

“Enough!” Org glared down towards Natsu, his expression grave and serious. “Tell me, Natsu Dragneel, what do you know of the curse bestowed upon the black wizard we now hold captive? Your response may be the only path towards gaining leniency from us.”

Glancing around, Natsu still seemed a bit lost on what was going on. “Huh? Wait…cursed wizard, are you talking about Zeref?” 

Org placed a hand to his forehead, looking quite irritated. However, Wolfheim was the one who glared harshly at Natsu, almost looking like he wished he could pick a fight with the boy. “We’ve seen through your tricks, fire wizard! The man we hold captive cannot possibly be the Black Wizard.”

Blinking, Natsu frowned and glanced towards Lahar. There was a question in his eyes, but the rune knight couldn’t speak. He never had the chance to update Natsu on his plans, and at the moment, Lahar was wishing he had Doranbolt’s telepathy to communicate with the boy. “Alright, whatever you say. So, what are you calling him? Is he August again, or is it back to Spriggan?” The question made Lahar close his eyes, pressing a hand to the bridge of his nose as he grimaced.

The older female on the council stood straighter, looking surprised. “August? Why does that name sound so familiar?” Turning towards her fellow council members, she searched for an answer.

Michello frowned, leaning forward on his cane. “I think…wasn’t that the name of one of those Alvarez fellows? Some special guard that was constantly meeting with our envoys because their emperor couldn’t be bothered to show up. For someone so high and mighty, he surely knows how to be rude to his fellow nation.” The man looked rather irritated, scowling and shaking his head.

“Are you saying that our captive is one of the Spriggan Emperor’s elite guard?” Org paused, stroking his beard in thought. “It would explain his alter ego within Fairy Tail…using Spriggan’s identity could be symbolic for his nation, after all…”

“I went down this path myself, when investigating Fairy Tail originally. There are no signs linking the guild to the Alvarez Empire.” Lahar tried to steer them away from this, but he didn’t know how successful he was.

The dragon slayer was grinning at them, slowly seeming to at least be able to focus on the conversation. “Oh, you guys are talking about that August. Sorry, but Zer—er, your prisoner isn’t him. Spriggan told me August was a fake name, I just didn’t know if he was using it again with you guys now.”

This time, Org focused on him once more. “Regardless of his identity, we are in need of a method to officially carry out our sentence. As his accomplice, surely you know of a way to kill him.”

Already knowing what to expect, Lahar took a step away from Natsu. He could feel an increased heat coming from the boy’s body, despite the cuffs on his wrists sealing in his magic. A harsh glare was what he responded with, his eyes narrowed at the council members hovering above them. “What the hell makes you think I’d help you kill him? And I’m his…well, I was his friend.” Natsu seemed to pause, trying to determine what to call himself now. In reality, Lahar supposed it depended on if one wanted to look at Natsu’s perspective, or Zeref’s.

“If you are no longer his friend, then surely you wish for revenge?” Siegrain’s calm suggestion came from over Lahar’s shoulder. “Did he betray you? Perhaps this curse became too much for you to simply accept, and you moved on. Either way, the information you provide us could be the key to earning our favor…and an earlier release from our prisons.”

Scowling, Natsu glared at the blue haired wizard. “I don’t care about that crap! It’s not like anything will really change, no matter where I am. Igneel is…oh, wait I can’t talk about that…” Natsu trailed off, scratching the back of his head. “Look, Spriggan didn't betray me, and his curse isn’t your problem, got it? I’m the one who promised him to find a way to destroy it, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

The fire in his eyes dared the Council to challenge his words. “Such a bright determination…children these days are so blinded by their aspirations that they don’t bother to see the truth in front of their eyes.” Yajima sounded rather tired of Natsu’s words, shaking his head with a frown. “It doesn’t matter if you want to free him or not, Natsu. Based on what we know, the only thing you are protecting is a criminal who illegally takes charge of dark guilds, and kills without a sense of guilt.”

“Don’t say that! You don’t know him, none of you do.” Natsu scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. “In fact, I think I’m kinda glad that you don’t. If you knew anything at all about him…” Something dark entered Natsu’s eyes, a deep concern and pain that confused Lahar. Did he relate that much with the black wizard? At first, that was what it seemed to be, but Lahar slowly realized it wasn’t true. That concern, it was more than just sympathy. Lahar had felt similarly, when he heard about Zeref’s past and his dead family. It was the sensation of empathy, knowing just how much pain Zeref was in and feeling it for yourself.

When Natsu lifted his gaze towards the Council, he was far more serious and confident than before. His confusion had vanished, and now, determination took its place. “Right now, you’re giving him exactly what he wants. I won’t tell you how to kill him…because I wouldn’t even help him find that answer himself.” A few people looked stunned at his words, sharing looks with each other. “The only reason he isn’t trying to escape right now is because he wants to die…and that’s exactly why I have to help him. No one deserves to feel that way…to be so alone, that the only way to feel hope that someone will be by your side is for when you reach the afterlife. I’ll be in my cell if you wanna help me with that task, but otherwise, I’m not interested in any deals you have to offer me. The only way I’m leaving this place is if Zeref is with me, because he’s more than just my friend…he’s like family.”


	66. The Council's Decision

Needless to say, Natsu had left the Council in an uproar. The room had stared on silently for a few moments, watching as the dragon slayer walked out on his own accord. Lahar couldn’t help but feel an odd sort of pride in Natsu’s words. The boy really was strong in his own way, capable of standing up to anyone for what he believed in. It made Lahar feel an ache as well, wishing he could do the same. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the same confidence in his actions, and he knew that there were times when it was necessary to abide by the rules.

After the moment of silence, angry shouts were heard from around the room. “Family? How dare he refuse to answer us! Bring him back!” Wolfheim was shouting for Natsu to return.

“Based on his comment, I don’t think you’ll be getting much more from him, Wolfheim.” Ultear crossed her arms over her chest, smiling with amusement at the door as she spoke. 

Sighing, Org let his head fall forward and pressed it into his palm. “I knew this wouldn’t turn out well. Criminals never understand the importance of our work.”

That made Michello snort, shaking his head. “Of course they don’t! They’re criminals for a reason, you know.” Glaring at the others, he continued looking upset. “We’re all just doomed, thanks you your foolish ideas. Oh, let’s end his curse, you say. Well, I say let’s just give up on this nonsense and find a more suitable punishment for the idiot. If he went and got himself cursed, it’s not our job to fix it for him.”

Yajima frowned, his brow furrowing as he grew thoughtful. “Would it not be cruel to do so to him? We are the figures of justice in this land…if Spriggan truly is from another country, we do risk angering them by punishing him so severely.”

“You heard Lahar,” Belno began, looking calm as control seemed to begin reigning back over the group. “Fairy Tail held no connection to the Alvarez Empire. Despite the odd false name, Spriggan is not one of the elite wizards trained to protect the emperor of that land.”

Biting his lip, Lahar hesitated but moved to speak up anyway. “I…I cannot say for certain that there is no connection. Just because evidence was not found does not mean it doesn’t exist. Simply the fact that Natsu Dragneel is aware of August within the Alvarez Empire makes me suspicious that this black wizard has been there…and that he brought the dragon slayer with him.”

Stroking his beard, Org leaned back. “You make a valid point. To our knowledge, Natsu has never left our borders…based on his previous actions, we would have at least heard some form of complaint about him if he did so.” A few council members sneered at that, recalling all of the damage Natsu had caused in his past. “If so, just who is Spriggan to the Alvarez Empire? Are we truly considering releasing him, on fear of starting a war?”

The blue haired council member looked concerned, his head tilted forward with a slight frown on his face. “It may be unwise to do so. Releasing him sets a precedent of leniency from us. If we cannot enforce our laws, even to foreigners from other lands, then we will lose our authority over the land. No one will obey, and ultimately, the Council will be forced to disband once we become nothing more than an overpaid group of figureheads walking along trying to punish those who refuse to listen to order.”

“Are you trying to doom us all?” Michello’s eyes were wide, his cane raised in the air threateningly. “I won’t stand for it. Starting a war with Alvarez is a death sentence for anyone. We’re all too important to just go around risking our lives over such a foolish endeavor.”

“Foolish?” Ultear raised an eyebrow at him. “We are enforcing our laws and punishing a murderer. If you ask me, he deserves to receive the punishment he gave out. Death is the only thing fitting for him, but his curse seems to prevent that. Perhaps eternal imprisonment will have to do in its place.”

Gazing up at the Council members, Lahar began to see that this was his chance. There would not be another opportunity to try and persuade them, not if they pushed for a vote on the matter too soon. “Regardless of what you decide, you will start a war if you punish him at this moment.” Lahar watched them grow silent at his interjection. 

Wolfheim glared at him for the interruption, but let him continue on. “The entire time you’ve held him prisoner, our actions have been unethical, breaking our own sense of justice and our laws. Spriggan was captured under the suspicion of murder and the use of black magic, but did we ever give him the chance to defend his actions?” A few members turned away, looking rather upset. Michello seemed to huff, looking like he supported the original idea anyway.

“Punishing a man without giving him a fair trial is more than enough reason for Alvarez to attack us, even if he is nothing more than one of their lowest citizens.” That gave them reason to look concerned, realizing how dangerous their actions were. “Not only that, but what if you are thinking about this too broadly? None of us have ever even met the Spriggan Emperor. Have you considered that perhaps this alias means our prisoner is a high-ranking official in that empire?”

Admittedly, Lahar did realize he probably shouldn’t hint at this aspect of Zeref’s identity. However, there were few other options to use for his case. “That…you’re implying that our prisoner is more than some high-ranking official.” Yajima was staring at him, his eyes wide. “It…it isn’t impossible, but I just can’t imagine that young boy being the emperor of any nation, much less an advisor to that emperor.”

“There was an air of calmness about him.” Siegrain seemed to be considering it more than the others. “He seemed to be expecting something that we weren’t when we moved to execute him. If I didn’t know any better, I would assume he was in control of the situation, rather than us.”

With a glare, Michello smacked his cane into the circle by his feet. “Don’t go telling us who was in control! We gave our soldiers orders, not him. The look on his face, he was suffering as we tried to kill him. There is no doubt about that, Siegrain!”

With a sigh, the blue haired wizard shook his head. “All of you are failing to see the logic here, which Captain Lahar has done an excellent job of explaining. It doesn’t matter if we are correct to assume there is authority within him or not. He is still owed a trial, which we neglected to provide before we sentenced him to death.”

“Are you still focused on this, Siegrain?” Org looked exasperated, though Lahar could understand why. Ever since Zeref was arrested the first time, Siegrain had opposed their actions. Unlike God Serena and Warrod, the blue haired wizard had used the proper channels to voice his disagreement, however. “What makes you so desperate to spare his life? We now agree that our prisoner is not Zeref, but that does not make him innocent either.”

Scowling, Siegrain crossed his arms over his chest. “No, that I do see. My point is that we have other tasks to occupy our time. The sooner this is dealt with, the better. After all, I told you before that there was a report from a scouting mission you needed to hear about soon.”

Belno shook her head, pressing a hand on her hip. “You might as well give him what he wants, Org. He’s been pushing for us to investigate this tower of his ever since we began questioning Fairy Tail for the identity of their third master. The scouting party we sent about a month ago may have been to appease him,” She paused, narrowing her gaze towards Siegrain who remained impassive. “but it appears that it was not enough for him to drop the matter.”

Smiling, Ultear nodded. “Indeed. If we are putting it to a vote, then I shall begin the proceedings. All in favor of hosting a trial for the prisoner now labeled as Spriggan?” With that, her hand shot up first. Siegrain followed almost immediately after, with Belno sighing and joining them.

After some debate, Yajima joined those in favor, his hand lifting into the air. Michello remained obstinate, glaring at them all with his hands fisted on his crane. By his side, Wolfheim seemed to frown, but slowly shook his head and kept his hand down. Both of them were far more willing to take risks, Lahar noted. He had known it would be difficult to convince them, but they already had a majority. Even with the two members absent, the seven on the council had a majority vote in favor of the trial.

Gazing out at the raised hands, Org slowly nodded and sighed. “Very well. It appears as if a trial will be held. As we established before, God Serena and Councilmen Warrod are not permitted to be involved in this matter. For reasons they refuse to share, they both have a personal investment in the matter and cannot be trusted to remain impartial.” With that, he rose to his feet and nodded towards Lahar. “The trial will be set for three days from now, to ensure that we are not holding a dangerous man captive for longer than necessary.”

Shaking his head, Michello glared at the others. “You are dooming us all, I say. Have fun with the aftermath of this, I’m heading home to relax with my family and hide from the man you are undoubtedly angering this very moment!” With that, he stormed out and vanished from sight. 

“I will join in overseeing the trial, Org. Considering the fact that some of us don’t feel safe to remain present, I’d say it would be best to minimize the members present.” Siegrain glanced around, smiling slightly. “Might I recommend just three? Since it was us that assigned Lahar to this case, it only seems fitting for us to finalize the decisions involved. With Ultear and Yajima, we will be more than enough to ensure that justice is dealt as the law sees fit.”

Nodding in agreement, Org ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “Do as you wish, Siegrain. I tire of this matter already, and the trial hasn’t even begun yet. So long as he receives the proper punishment, I will not complain. Don’t go around asking for too many more favors, however. We are all equals on this council, with only the chairman holding more sway than another.” At the moment, Lahar believed Warrod was the chairman, but he could be wrong. “Treating us as our superior will not end well for you, Siegrain.”

With an amused smile, he nodded and gave Org a slight bow. “Of course, I never meant to imply otherwise.” Somehow, Siegrain’s comment made Lahar tense. He always sounded superior and condescending, but hearing him attempt humility was almost worse. Watching Org nod as a dismissal to him, Lahar did not hesitate to turn and rush out the door. He was not going to be spending any more time with Siegrain than necessary, not when that council member suddenly seemed to have a more terrifying presence than the black wizard himself.


	67. The Guilt of Blame

The cells were silent and empty for three days. Most people in solitude for that long would begin to feel signs of instability. People needed interaction with others to keep their minds from falling into disarray, but Zeref was not like most people. Rather than driving him deeper into insanity, his time in isolation seemed to leave him in a relaxed sensation of stability. Being freed from the fear of killing others was a relief, especially after the outburst of his magic earlier. He hadn’t seen Ankhersam’s Curse act out so badly since the time he saw Mavis finally accept that she had been cursed along with him. With no wars going on to alter her mindset, she had been trapped in a release of black magic like that for weeks, perhaps even months.

He sighed, closing his eyes. Back then, he had been the only person by her side to help with that magic. No one else could approach her, so he had sat with her in the forest, surrounded by death. Continuously, he told her that there was still a way for this to end. He had offered her a place in his empire even then, when he had still been working on expanding it. All he had wanted was to calm her mind, and allow the magic to stop. Strangely, he still didn’t remember which piece of advice had finally calmed her enough for it to stop. The lapses in his memory often did that, and if it wasn’t a particularly pleasant or painful memory, time always wore it away until it was just a vague sense of something that had happened, rather than a clear image of the event.

At the moment, Zeref was lying down in his cell. With no prisoners around, he actually found this place far more peaceful than anywhere else he had been. Even Tenrou Island had not felt like this, since his magic was not dulled by anything there. Strangely, part of him actually considered remaining here for a while. It would be a good place to simply sit and think, since his magic would not destroy everything around him by doing so.

In fact, he had already used this time to think quite a bit. Learning that Natsu had miraculously turned out to be his brother from so long ago was not good for the mindset he had established to protect others. Granted, he had managed to reclaim a minor amount of control over his thoughts after some time, but his mind still had not been stable. Even in these cells, he could feel the curse trying to push him towards that edge of insanity. He wanted Natsu to live on, but at the same time, the dragon slayer was the only person capable of stopping his future from arriving. As such, in his darker moments, Zeref wanted to destroy his own brother as well. He didn’t know if that was the curse at work, or if it was his own desire.

The more he thought about it, the more certain he became that those dark thoughts were coming from the curse. With his magic sealed off, the idea of attacking Natsu just seemed absurd. The idea of killing him…Zeref scowled as his eyes flashed open. He couldn’t even focus on that, without his magic. All the effort he had put into bringing Natsu back, and now having him as the one person Zeref truly thought he trusted (that was alive, at least), it would all be wasted. The thought brought him too much sadness to linger on, so it made him nearly certain that the brief desire to destroy Natsu had somehow been his curse’s doing.

In a way, Natsu’s comment from before had been helpful, yet not helpful at the same time. Keeping in mind that Natsu truly hadn’t changed would have been beneficial. At that point, the term brother became meaningless and their relationship remained the same as it was before. However, the word brother was not meaningless to him. His brother represented so much more than a simple family member left alive. Natsu had been his lifeline, a single ray of light shining into the darkness of his life for so long. When he had nothing, Natsu had kept him moving. Later on, the revival of Natsu inspired his future, a future in which death just might be possible if he created unnatural beings to cause his end in a way the gods never anticipated.

Even deeper than that, Natsu represented an era in Zeref’s life where death was just an abstract concept, and not a potential for reality. Back then, he had been so different. He could recall that he had smiled so much more, and was so bright and cheerful at times. While he had been different from other children, he was still someone who wanted friends to play with. 

Smiling as he rested, Zeref let a hand lift and relax against his forehead. It pressed his bangs down against his forehead, but he didn’t mind. Right now, he was feeling the hints of memory tug at the edges of his mind. Natsu had been born on a momentous day for him. That had not only been the day he got another family member, but it was also the day when he first realized he had a future as a wizard.

The war had been a forbidden subject in their home. Magic was another, since any wizard was expected to be trained to battle against the dragons. Zeref had a protected childhood as a result, but it didn’t stop him from reading any book he could get his hands on. Whether it was fiction or nonfiction, Zeref loved reading everything. Each book held a new adventure, and gave him more knowledge to learn. When he heard that he was expecting a brother, Zeref devoted himself to learning about what older brother’s were supposed to do. It had been a child-like curiosity, since he didn’t really understand what having a baby around would mean.

Seeing so many stories about siblings, Zeref found a common trait within them all. The elder sibling was meant to protect the younger, more innocent of the two. Their bond was unbreakable, and if needed, the elder would sacrifice their life so the other could live on. That meant that Zeref would need to know how to fight, to some extent. It had troubled him to think of, at the time. Even then, he had a gentle nature and disliked the idea of hurting others. However, magic gave him a different way. Maybe there was some tool that could allow him to protect Natsu, while not actually harming others.

His intention had been to learn sleep magic. Any enemy of theirs would fall asleep in an instant, a harmless trick. Studying the very basics, Zeref had taken to meditating on a daily basis. Other kids would see him and laugh at his odd actions, but he ignored them. He had a responsibility to his future brother, after all. Other kids could laugh, but he was going to be a great sibling to Natsu.

Every day, he would go outside of his home and away from his parents to the fields outside. His family had been farmers, a simple life that made things hard, but Zeref never quite got involved in their work before they died. He had been too young, and only just began to understand what it was they did to maintain their home. However, he did know of one place he loved on the edge of their fields. From a time when their field had been an apple orchard, a single tree remained. It was old and withering, but every year it still seemed to be capable of bearing fruit. The sight of something so strong, surviving through every winter without hesitation and surviving even through the culling of all the others around it had inspired Zeref. He wanted to be like that tree, capable of surviving on, and keeping others alive with the tools in his grasp. 

Ironically, he had obtained his wish, but it was a far darker wish than his child-like mind had realized back then. He had been under that tree, feeling a slight chill in the air as spring just began. Leaves were budding on the tree above him, though they hadn’t quite returned. Despite the chill in the air, he kept his eyes closed and meditated. His parents had told him to stay outside until he was called for. Mother had been having pains again, and Zeref would only get in the way if he was with them.

Like usual, he felt a sense of contentment as he meditated. The cold might have made him shiver at first, but once his mind was clear, he found the gently breeze relaxing. The smell of the fields was wafting towards him, a familiar scent that allowed him to enter an even deeper trance. The rustling of the branches above him might have startled another person, but for him, nature had always been a wonder that calmed him. Being in his favorite spot, he had been capable of nearly tuning out the entire world, focusing on the slight warmth he felt inside.

However, despite his meditation, he was not able to unleash spells of any form. Granted, sleeping magic wouldn’t effect the tall tree by his back, or the lifeless fields around him. Maybe he should have attempted to practice in the chicken coop, but he hadn’t thought far enough ahead to plan for using actual spells today. Normally, he was interrupted before finding a mindset where he thought his magic was at its peak.

Before long, Zeref’s father had come to retrieve him from outside. He had always been a strict man, worn down and tired from work on a daily basis. Most children would have been put off by his gruff way of speaking, and the way he always seemed to demand action from Zeref. However, even as a child, he had a strange intuition about the world around him. Words rarely bothered him, and he found it interesting to try and analyze why people acted how they did, rather than trying to please them. His analysis of his father led him to conclude that the man cared for him, but simply did not bother with the pointless effort of speaking gently. It wasted so much time to speak with manners, something Zeref realized. As such, he had gone through a brief time where he refused to use them. That ended quickly, when his mother decided it was unacceptable. His father may have been the stricter parent, but his mother had been the one to truly fear if angered.

The memory shifted back towards the day of Natsu’s birth, as Zeref tried to avoid letting his thoughts go in random circles. Walking by his father’s side, Zeref returned to his home. He had been smiling happily, letting his arms swing by his sides as he eagerly approached his mother’s room. Zeref didn’t quite know what to expect. He was the last baby born in their town, in recent years. All the other kids were older, so he was the only one who hadn’t seen a baby. Most families didn’t want to grow during the harsh times, after all.

“There he is, Zeref. That’s Natsu, your brother.” His father had sounded so proud that day. Zeref remembered timidly approaching the bed, feeling nervousness rise within him along with the excitement. Seeing his slow progress, his father had pushed him closer gently. Inside the room, his mother had been resting in her bed, with torn blankets wrapped around her body from the waist down. She had been leaning back against the bed-frame, her unusual pink hair falling down her shoulders in ragged, damp strands. She looked tired, but there had been a smile on her face.

When Zeref let his tiny hands grasp the rough fabric of the home-knitted blanket, he lifted himself onto his toes to get a better look. In her arms was Natsu, the source of the main noise in the room. A loud wailing had been apparent before, but Zeref had ignored it at first. Now, he could see that his baby brother was upset, though he couldn’t understand why. He looked fine, though he was kind of small and pudgy. With round cheeks and a warm blanket wrapped around his tiny form, Zeref didn’t see what was upsetting him. “Why is he crying?” He had hoped his parents would have answers where his mind had been unable to supply any.

A hand patted his shoulder, making him glance up to see his father smiling slightly at him. Dark black eyes that matched his own stared at him. Everyone always said Zeref took after his father’s looks, with his black hair and eyes. He couldn’t say for sure if it was true or not, though, not when his higher cheekbones and nose seemed to be inherited from his mother’s traits. “That’s what babies do, Zeref. Every baby in all of history has cried at birth. Even you cried.” 

It was unusual for his father to sound so cheerful, but the occasion did warrant it, he supposed. Reaching forward, Zeref stretched his body across the blankets to try and touch Natsu. If his parents couldn’t make his brother happy, then he had to. It was his job, after all. Determined, he felt his brows draw together in determination as some strange energy rose within him. Suddenly, the world faded away from his senses and all of his thoughts became jumbled. His senses became alive, hearing noises around and feeling close to something warm and unfamiliar. Overwhelming it all, however, was a deep pain in his stomach, as if something inside of him was clawing to get out of him.

Stumbling back, Zeref rubbed his eyes and blinked. “Zeref! What did you just do?” His father’s angry tone made Zeref pause, frowning in confusion. Whatever had just happened, it was gone now. Words were forming in his mind once more, and that gnawing feeling in his gut was gone.

Blinking, he walked closer to Natsu again. Closing his eyes, Zeref tried to repeat the experience from before. Once again, he felt the vanishing of rational thought in his mind, replaced with nothing but pure instinct and sensation around him. Natsu…The crying stopped for a moment as the child blinked, glancing around for a moment. However, that lasted for a second before the wailing resumed once more.

Seeing the reaction, Zeref grinned and tried again. This time, he managed to stretch himself up enough to gently touch one of the baby’s hands on the bed. It felt soft and warm, so fragile in a way that he had not expected. Using what he had sensed, Zeref tried to please the boy. He sent Natsu images, rather than words. He would picture peaceful settings, such as the apple tree in the yard or an open blue sky. Each image was accompanied by a pause in Natsu’s sobs, but it was only temporary.

Thinking back to the feeling in his stomach, Zeref suddenly realized what he was doing. He was talking to Natsu, with his mind. This was magic, telepathy actually. While it wasn’t exactly what he had been hoping for, he knew it was a place to start. His grin had grown even wider, staring up at his parents brightly. “I can use magic! Natsu’s hungry, that’s why he’s crying.” Eager to do more, Zeref had attempted to climb into the bed to show Natsu more. However, his father grabbed him and pulled him back with a stern glare.

“Now is not the time for foolish games, Zeref. Magic is not a toy, you know what it brings.” There was a warning in his gaze, as if his father was daring him to speak about the dragons.

Shrugging, he glanced back towards Natsu. “I know, but I want to protect Natsu. That’s what older brothers are for, right?” His father had hesitated, glancing towards his mother for help. However, she looked like she was about to collapse into slumber at any moment. “I’m not…I’m not big. Other kids can beat me up whenever they want. Some of them do, because I don’t act like them.” Those days were the worst ones, but the more Zeref stuck to himself, the less often that occurred. “But…I am smart. All my teachers say I am…so that’s how I have to protect him. Magic focuses on mental energy…so if I can master magic, I can defeat anyone who wants to harm Natsu, right?” He wanted to add in a comment about the potential threat from the war, but he hadn’t bothered. While the war was known in their village, they all knew it was practically free from the risk of being attacked. The area had been so small and out of the way, no one imagined it being important to either side of the battle.

“Don’t discourage him, Cornello.” His mother’s weak voice came from the bed, along with a small smile. “He’s tried so hard…our boy has become a hard-working man. He’ll be a great wizard one day…and I know he’ll find a way to survive.” Blinking, Zeref stared at her with wide eyes, his smile fading. He didn’t expect either of them to accept it, but his mother had. “Promise me, Zeref, that you will survive. You do realize that a big brother never abandons his siblings, right? That means you have to be here for Natsu, and not just be able to protect him.”

That brought his smile back, making him nod and rest back on his feet by his mother’s side. “That’s my good boy.” she stated, reaching out and gently ruffling his hair. The gesture had felt a bit weak, but he couldn’t help but feel pleased with her reaction. His magic made her proud. 

“Do as you want, then. Don’t blame me if you end up fighting in a war, Zeref. Bloody battles await your future, but it is the path you chose.” Back then, he had not quite realized just how truthful his father’s words had been. “Master magic if you want to survive. Reading the minds of your enemies will be a great tool, if you learn to understand it.”

It had been his father’s way of giving his approval, however, only two months later all of them had died when dragons attacked to reclaim lost territory no one ever realized they had once owned. Thinking back, Zeref actually realized it had been the closest thing to a compliment he had ever received from the man. That moment had pushed him even farther, making him delve entirely into the world of magic and new spells. In a way, maybe that was why a part of him resented Natsu. If it hadn’t been for his brother, Zeref never would have had an interest in learning magic in the first place. Without magic, he never would have had a path available to bring back the dead, and he never would have been cursed. It made him feel more sane, thinking of it that way. At the same time, it forced him to push down the guilt that came with the thought. After all, he was essentially blaming Natsu simply because he had been born, and for no actions of his own. 

Either way, he knew that nothing was going to change for them overnight. They were brothers, that much was true, but Zeref was practically a stranger to Natsu. They knew nothing about each other, and that was how things would remain. So long as that remained true, Zeref could convince himself that he no longer valued his brother’s life. That was the only thing keeping Natsu alive, and it would continue keeping the boy alive in the future. With a smile, Zeref released a deep breath and stared up at the ceiling. He had trained his mind well, he realized. Even now, he could focus his thoughts towards a direction that would fulfill his duty as an older brother, by ensuring that he grew to think of Natsu as nothing more than a pawn to manipulate as he pleased. As he continued falling into this mental state, a door opened down the hall. Lahar was approaching, and with the rune knight captain, Zeref expected more busy events to follow. His calm time of relaxation down here was coming to an end, and soon, he would have a battle of a different sort to fight.


	68. Protecting a Threat

The rune knight captain looked as strict as ever when he approached Zeref’s cell. Behind him, Zeref was only mildly surprised to see Natsu getting dragged along as well. The dragon slayer was in cuffs, but grinning as he saw Zeref. “Hey, Lahar says we’re getting a trial after all. Though, he did also tell me I should probably not talk for the thing…” He looked mildly confused about that, but Natsu shrugged it off.

Raising an eyebrow at Lahar, Zeref felt a small smile on his face. “Is that so? Considering your personality, I can’t say I disagree with the captain.” 

“Actually, I don’t think either of you should speak. It has already taken much maneuvering to get us this far, and the vote to even grant you a trial was close.” Lahar looked a bit tired as he crossed his arms over his chest. After letting out a deep breath, he moved forward and began unlocking Zeref’s prison cell with the key.

His voice had been quiet, making Zeref realize the rune knight was trying to keep his helpfulness hidden. Guards were still posted throughout the hall, so it would make sense if Lahar wished to keep his position. “How did you manage such a task? I did not expect them to grant me any leniency, considering my past.”

Grimacing, Lahar pressed a hand to his forehead and glanced nervously at one of the guards. “I…convinced them that there was a possibility you were not Zeref. It also may have been brought up that you hold some connection to the Alvarez Empire.” He didn’t seem proud of either fact, and Zeref himself felt a bit uncomfortable with it. Lying was never the way to achieve the proper end to things like this.

The connection to Alvarez would be more difficult, if he was asked about it at the trial. Lying to that question would be unacceptable, and he knew that it would terrify everyone present to discover that they had attempted to execute the emperor of the large nation. “That may have been unwise. In my past, I find that in the long run, the truth is always the better option. Ultimately, someone always uncovers that you have lied, and it brings about more distrust and anger. People function better when they are truthful, so if presented with a difficult question, I prefer to either not respond, or avoid the full response.”

“Oh, so that’s why you never really answered my questions when we first met!” Natsu was grinning, stepping aside to let Zeref join them in the hall.

The black wizard nodded, moving to join them as they began walking down the halls of Era once more. This place was huge, maybe even the same size as his castle in Vistarion. It seemed a bit much, considering it only housed a small branch of Fiore’s government, but he wasn’t going to judge. His castle was large because it was the only place matters were dealt with in their system. The Spriggan Twelve had to meet him there to report difficult matters in the empire, and other embassies would meet there to speak with someone in authority over agreements between nations.

Passing by a guard, Lahar faced straight ahead and didn’t reply for a while. It wasn’t until they were out of earshot that he spoke again, still in a quiet voice. “Either way, it is already done. If they question it again, I won’t stop you from revealing the truth…though, I imagine things would be simpler if you didn’t do so. Only three council members are overseeing this trial, due to one of them pushing to move on to some other issue. I didn’t hear many details, but it concerns some tower they found out in the ocean.”

That made Zeref frown, wondering why a tower would be an issue for the governing body over magic. Towers weren’t really used in magic. The structure held no purpose, and physical form wasn’t as important as the arrangement of energy when creating spells. While the cylindrical shape was ideal for creating layered magic circles, there weren’t any spells that required such an excessive amount of circles to cast. However, as he considered it further, he realized there was one spell that just might require it. He didn’t realize how he had forgotten its existence, even if it was merely theoretical.

“The R-System…” he whispered quietly, making the rune knight blink at him in surprise. Shaking his head, Zeref grimaced and let out a sigh. “A spell I designed centuries ago. It is the only spell I can think of that utilizes a tower in any form, however, the functionality of it practically does not exist. I imagine some dark guild discovered my notes on the tower and attempted to construct it, without realizing that it would be useless when complete.”

“I’ve heard of it before. The Council sent me on a mission to destroy one that was incomplete before…from what I heard, there had been about six others that we encountered around that time.” Lahar glanced towards Zeref, narrowing his eyes. “They stated that the R-System was an impossible spell that resided deeply in black magic, supposedly capable of bringing the dead back to life. However, no cases were reported of a successful use.”

Nodding, Zeref stared ahead as they moved passed another small group of guards. “It requires more magical energy than you’d imagine to utilize. In theory, it can work, however I cannot imagine a way to gather the energy required to activate it.” That had been his reason for abandoning the project in the first place. Granted, his instructors warned him off of it as well since he had turned the theory in as a research paper, but it had been more of his own decision to stop. Instead, he looked into time travel to reverse the damage that had been done, but Eclipse was not able to be perfected to that degree at the time. Now, however, he had considered a way of altering the spell…but that was not a task he really had the time to devote himself to.

“If it is so impossible to be used, why would Siegrain be so insistent on locating and attacking this tower?” There was confusion in Lahar’s tone, though he quickly slammed his mouth shut when he noticed a guard glancing towards him with a frown. Turning towards him, Lahar grimaced and cleared his throat slightly, shaking his head. “In fact, a prisoner such as yourself shouldn’t even know of any of this. Your knowledge about this tower is far more disturbing than any actions taken by…” When they were out of earshot, he cut himself off and let out a deep breath.

Deception was an art Zeref understood well, but Natsu clearly got lost. “Huh? Zeref just told you how he knew about it. Didn’t you hear him?” 

Smiling at Natsu, Zeref nodded. “He is simply protecting his position here, Natsu. As for your original question, the matter isn’t so simple.” Thinking back, Zeref wondered just how many people even connected the R-System to him. While it was black magic, it was centered on life rather than death and destruction. Anything even remotely pleasant he created was often forgotten about, overlooked due to the sheer amount of suffering he had created.

“I don’t even think the Council is aware of my involvement in the creation of the spell. To be honest, it was more of a…project. If they found the original notes in any form, it would simply look like the work of a student from long ago, with no resemblance to my demonic books or death magic.” That made Lahar frown, but he didn’t interrupt. “As such, it would make more sense for them to not get involved, wouldn’t it? However, there is also the simple matter of a deeply ingrained taboo. History may have forgotten about gods, but customs still remain, ingrained into society and culture even if they do not know the cause. Even mention of a potential method of tampering with life and death sends fear into their hearts, and makes men willing to take drastic measures to preserve a balance that they themselves don’t even value. After all, can you name for me a person who does not long for a longer life? Most people would beg for immortality, not realizing exactly what it is they wish for.”

Glancing towards him out of the corner of his eye, Lahar made a slight noise that sounded almost like a snort. Considering that Zeref had never heard the man do such a thing, he decided it was the closest the rune knight captain got to such an action. “Not everyone has contradictory reasoning like you do, Zeref. I imagine the Council truly sees potential in the dangers of the spell, rather than some desperation to protect something they actually want to eliminate.”

Normally, he would have found the comment mildly amusing. However, after spending three days reminiscing about Natsu and his own feelings regarding his brother, it now made him scowl and glance away from both of them. Part of him still felt guilt over his brief desire to attack Natsu before being imprisoned again. He had felt exactly what Lahar described, a desire to protect Natsu conflicting with his desire to destroy the only person who could stand in the way of his future plans. The end result had been far worse than either path would have been, he realized. Zeref did not cope well with valuing life in any form, even if it was only for a brief moment.

Staring at his cuffs, Zeref was suddenly glad for their presence. Control over his thoughts had slipped recently, and it was still a struggle to reestablish it. Isolation had improved his mindset greatly, but he still had much to master. Glancing towards Natsu, he saw the dragon slayer frowning at him. “You okay, Zeref? You look kinda…creepy.”

“I can’t say…Captain Lahar has simply brought back some unusual memories, that’s all.”

Pressing a hand to his forehead, the rune knight sighed. “Don’t tell me you’ve actually done that.”

Uncertain of how he would react, Zeref continued focusing his gaze on the cuffs around his wrists. “Actually, I just did so three days ago. Often times, I find my own impulses even stranger than those of others. I try to center my decisions on what will have the best outcome…but when emotions run strong, it often becomes unclear what path I should take.” Both Natsu and Lahar were staring at him with wide eyes. They had stopped walking, and now they stood before a plain wooden set of doors. Handles were placed so they could be pulled open, but no one made a move to enter.

“Wait…you wanted to destroy me then? Why the heck would you wanna do that?” Natsu’s confusion was expected, but it didn’t make Zeref feel any better.

“Because in theory, you can kill me.” With that, he closed his eyes, shaking his head. “Regardless, it is best not to focus so much on this. The more I think about you as…a potentially powerful pawn in the battle against Acnologia, the easier this will become. I apologize, Natsu, but I do not think I can be your friend in any stretch of the word, much less a true brother to you.”

He felt a hand clasp his shoulder, making him turn back to see Natsu grinning at him. “Sure, that’s what I told ya to do, right? It’s my job to make things right, okay, so just let me fix your curse. You brought me back to life, so it’s the least I can do to repay you, I mean, it kinda makes the whole curse thing my fault, doesn’t it?”

That had been the same logic he had before, and the realization left him staring at Natsu with wide eyes. Since when did he reach the same conclusion as his brother about anything? It was odd, but strangely, comforting. Maybe there was hope yet for him, though for now, he had to focus on getting through the rest of this ordeal. He could worry about a potential path to destroying his curse another time. Now, he had a trial to go through, where he would likely have to focus on dealing with panicking Council members realizing that they had nearly killed the leader of one of the most powerful nations in all of Earthland.


	69. A New Verdict

The room they walked into was smaller than Zeref had expected, considering the size of Era. There was a slight aisle, allowing them to walk passed two short rows of chairs before arriving in front of the three Council members. At that point, a small desk was placed facing them, which Zeref and Natsu now stood behind, with Lahar on their right side. In an elevated platform, a much larger podium stood. Behind that, Siegrain observed them calmly, with UItear to his left. On his right was Yajima, though Zeref could hardly even see his face with how short the man was.

Along the walls, there was not a single window. They were painted white, but at two central points, they both were decorated with green banners, long and thin rather than wide like most. Dark green in color and with gold borders, it looked as if they were designed to decorate something of great prestige. If he had looked closer, he may have seen the pins keeping it attached to the wall, each pin with the symbol of the Wizard Saints engraved on their surfaces.

The blue haired council member rose, his gaze passive as he stared at them. “Spriggan, you stand accused of treason against the nation of Fiore and of establishing and leading a dark guild. Natsu Dragneel, you stand accused of acting as his accomplice in such acts, as well as attempting to break a criminal free from our prisons.” He sounded calm as he leaned over the podium gazing between them. “The evidence against you both is great. Countless witnesses observed Natsu escaping these very grounds with the suspect in question. I, personally, am one of them. As for Spriggan…we found you living in the halls of a dark guild, with other wizards gathered together. As for your treason, that remains to be proven. For that order of business, I shall ask you a single question. Are you Zeref, the Black Wizard known for creating demons and utilizing the darkest forms of magic mankind has ever seen?”

Glancing at the desk, Zeref sighed and closed his eyes. This was exactly what he had been explaining to Lahar before, but he had not listened quite well. “My name is Zeref Dragneel. As for calling me that black wizard…I can’t say for certain if my magic is the darkest mankind has seen, though I do know it isn’t pleasant to be around.”

The council member crossed his arms over his chest, glancing towards the others. “He said Dragneel, correct? That means he can’t possibly be the Black Wizard, if he is related to Natsu today.” Ultear was calm and trying to use logic for her reply. Unfortunately, it seemed as if neither of them had heard of the Eclipse Gate.

“Unfortunately, you are correct.” Yajima’s voice came from the other side, as the old man focused on them again. “Then, before we can even commence this trial, I think there is another question we must ask. Based on our legal system, in an effort to preserve relations with our bordering nations, we have protections in place for any ambassador or politician coming from outside of Fiore. Are you some such official, or is your use of the name Spriggan within your guild meaningless?”

Calling his name meaningless made Zeref feel a slightly irrational sense of anger. That name had been formed because of Mavis. Anything inspired by her was not meaningless, not for him. “Speak carefully, for that name holds more meaning than you imagine. Calling it meaningless is a simple way to earn my wrath…and trust me, you do not want to see me when I am angered.”

The threat made Siegrain stiffen, his gaze narrowing slightly. “What is so important about a false name?”

Tilting his head, Zeref glared at him in turn. “It was inspired by someone dear to me.” He saw the man simply frown, with the woman by his side looking mildly amused at the idea. Only Yajima looked a bit sympathetic, but his age likely made the man capable of understanding the pain of loss unlike the other two. “As for my relationship with other nations…you may not wish to truly know such a thing.”

That gave them pause. Siegrain glanced at Ultear, sharing a look while Yajima’s brow furrowed slightly. “I see. Then allow me to make my question a bit more generic. Are you at all involved within the governing body of the Alvarez Empire?”

Feeling the gazes of others on him in the room, Zeref realized he had no choice. Closing his eyes, he released a sigh. “Do not say I didn’t warn you. I am exactly who you think I am. In Alvarez, I am the Spriggan Emperor. If you need proof, I am more than willing to contact one of the Spriggan Twelve to confirm that fact.”

“The emperor?” Ultear laughed and shook her head. “Sorry, but even if these Spriggan Twelve respond, I don’t think I’d believe you. Surely, you wouldn’t have been so foolish as to lead a guild in another nation.”

“This was done for someone dear to me.” Zeref was getting quite agitated with them.

Siegrain shook his head as well, before letting it press down against his chest. “You keep insisting on protecting this dear individual, however, you forget that you are in our legal system. Just who are you defending?”

Rising to his feet, Zeref glared at the three of them. “That is my business. She has nothing to do with current events, as she is…dead, I suppose, is the best term to use.” Technically, she was alive in some form, but he didn’t bother explaining the details. 

Holding a hand out in front of Siegrain when the man moved to talk again, Yajima nodded gravely. “I am sorry for our rude actions, Spriggan. My companions may not understand what it feels like to watch those close to you perish, but I do. I am sorry for your loss, and if you see no need to share the details, I suggest we simply dismiss this event entirely. As the potential emperor of another nation, we risk war if we continue persecuting him.”

“Actually, that isn’t quite true.” That made them all glance towards Zeref who shrugged. “My presence isn’t required for Alvarez to function. In fact…my guard is aware of my true goal in life. Should something happen to me, they have orders to continue on as normal rather than seeking pointless revenge in a war that would cause nothing but death and destruction.” 

“Do you have something against war?” Ultear looked mildly intrigued by his comment.

“For the right purpose, war is necessary. What I dislike are the pointless deaths that come as a result.” Glancing away, Zeref let his eyes shut as he took his seat once more. “I have seen far too much death in my life to really see the gain from such a thing anymore.”

“I’m sorry for interrupting, but does this have anything to do with the matter at hand?” Lahar spoke up from beside him, looking mildly irritated. “In essence, this trial is meant to dispute the claim that Zeref, or Spriggan if you wish to call him as such, is responsible for the actions of the legendary black wizard, known to be alive centuries ago, rather than today.”

“You are correct, Captain Lahar.” Yajima sighed and folded his hands behind his back. “At the moment, this simply appears to be a case of mistaken identity. Why anyone would name their child after the black wizard is a mystery to me, but it appears as if it is still impossible to live for so long.”

“Yajima, are you really just going to take our captive’s word for it?” Ultear smiled darkly, stepping forward and away from the other council members. She approached Zeref, leaning over the desk and reaching out with her hand to lift his head towards her. “Criminals are liars. As such, we have measures in place for matters such as this. With a little bit of magic, he will tell us everything…after all, Org did prepare us one of his legendary enchantments for this very purpose.”

Another hand snaked out towards Zeref, making him attempt to pull back. This girl was quick, however, and she released him soon. Glancing down, he spotted another necklace around his neck, resting on top of his locket. The design was simple, with a triangular flat surface overlapping the oval of his previous necklace. As it rested at the base of his throat, Zeref felt the magic within it ensnare around him. Magic that altered someone to this extent was rare, making him realize that this council did have a few tricks that he had yet to see. He could feel the magic almost constricting his throat, muddling his thoughts and blurring his vision. Part of him felt almost sick from the magic, making him groan and wrap an arm around his waist. The enchantment was designed to force him to tell the truth, but with so many contradictions in his own head, it was hard to decipher which truth was the one that was more truthful.

“Get that thing off him! What the hell did you do to Zeref?” Natsu was by his side, touching his back before Lahar pulled him away. There was a harsh look in the rune knight’s gaze, warning the dragon slayer to follow orders.

Moving back to join her companions, Ultear smiled. “A truth spell. Simply put, he is now going to answer all of our questions and there will be no doubt as to the truth of his answers. Now, are you Zeref Dragneel, emperor of the Alvarez Empire?”

This was an easy one. “Yes…” he gasped out. His hands were clenched tightly on the table, but the question seemed to have calmed things down slightly. So long as they continued with factual questions, he would be able to manage. He just hoped they wouldn’t ask for anything opinionated in the slightest, because then this spell would put him into a state of pure agony, rather than simple discomfort.

“Excellent work, Ultear. I had forgotten about Org’s magic, the ability to alter emotions and use them to influence the mind.” Siegrain smiled and leaned forward, while Yajima glanced away.

“I shall have no part in this. Honestly, that spell is almost inhumane, I’m surprised we haven’t found reason to ban its use yet.” Yajima then sat down, disappearing behind the podium as he did so.

Still, the other two did not share his mindset. “Do as you wish, Yajima. We’ll finish this. Zeref, what is your relationship to the one known as Natsu Dragneel?” Siegrain continued on, crossing his arms over his chest.

Two responses came to mind, making Zeref realize that even this factual question had issues. He gritted his teeth together, unsure of which answer was correct. They were brothers, but Natsu was also his greatest creation. Yet again, it could be argued that they were destined to be enemies, since he was the only one that could kill him. Pressure built within his head, making him gasp as he hunched over. It felt like his curse, only it wasn’t his own magic pulsating through his body. This energy was designed to force him to speak his mind, but he didn’t know which part of his mind was the truth he should speak.

“Resisting is what is causing the pain, Zeref. The spell won’t allow you to tell a lie.” Ultear tried to explain the situation, but it was them that did not understand.

Instead of searching for a specific definition, Zeref finally found one that worked to cover all potential descriptions. “Complicated.” He couldn’t say anything further, the pain had blinded his thoughts and taken away his ability to speak with ease. Any more words would be cut off by a scream, though his response did allow the pressure to lessen in his head. 

“That isn’t enough. Elaborate on your response.”  
Siegrain’s order made Zeref glare harshly at both of them. The pain rose again, swimming in his mind. It pounded against his jaw, prying at his mouth as if the magic thought it could open it without muscles agreeing to the action. When that didn’t work, it clawed along his arms until his hands began to twitch slightly, as if trying to write a response instead. He was breathing hard, shaking in his seat with his gaze still locked on the blue-haired council member. 

“He’s my enemy. No…I don’t want…he’s my…please, just make it stop…” Zeref plea was broken off, as his glare vanished and his cuffed hands rose to grip his hair. The chains smacked into his face, but he didn’t care at this point. “Natsu…my brother, my greatest achievement, my enemy, my destroyer, my peace, my end, my….” His ramblings were too quick for anyone to follow. All he was trying to do was get the pain to end, but nothing seemed to establish it. Any response wasn’t enough, and he didn’t have anything simply to reply with. “pawn, former friend, dead, not dead, hope, strength…”

Everyone was watching him, until he felt someone tug on the chain around his neck. He heard the snapping sound, and in an instant the pressure vanished. Behind him, Yajima stood with a glare on his face, glancing up at Ultear and Siegrain. Lifting a hand to his neck, Zeref felt the bare skin underneath, making his heart stutter for a moment. The locket was gone. Turning his gaze behind him, he spotted the broken chain in Yajima’s grip, along with the other necklace that had tormented him over one simple question.

“This is despicable. I won’t stand by and watch you torture a man for your answers, Siegrain. Org’s magic is powerful, but it does terrible things to indecisive people. If Zeref does not have an answer that he feels answers your question entirely, it will continue forcing responses endlessly, or completely destroy his mind.” Yajima threw the chains on the ground, but Zeref stumbled out of his chair at the sight.

“Stop!” he reached out, grasping them both as Yajima moved to slam his foot down onto them. Instead, his shoe collided with Zeref’s hand, making the black wizard grimace slightly. “The locket…destroy your enchantment if you wish, but the locket is mine.” Gazing down at him, Yajima sighed and nodded, moving away for a moment so Zeref could collect the broken trinket.

Staring at Zeref, Yajima came closer again and patted his head gently. “I’ve always been a supporter of your guild in the past. Makarov was a good friend of mine growing up, and I knew that Fairy Tail’s ideals were something to respect, despite their constant shenanigans. Never once did I think it would fall so far…but seeing you, I begin to wonder if it has even fallen at all. You are still trying to protect that family of yours, aren’t you?” Unable to respond, Zeref just turned his head upward while clutching the locket to his chest. “You called Natsu your brother somewhere in those ramblings of yours. I imagine that is the response you want to actually submit to Siegrain’s question, correct?”

This time, Zeref nodded and focused on the ground. “Y-yes.”

There was something gentle about the old man, and it managed to calm an anger that had begun to stir in him when the truth spell had taken control. If there was a single council member alive that Zeref felt reason to not hate, it was this one. “I’ve never seen a reaction quite that bad to Org’s spell, so feel free to take your time and recover.” Yajima patted his back one last time before moving to rejoin Siegrain and Ultear.

Taking a deep breath, Zeref nodded and let his hands continue to clutch the locket in his grip. “I..I’ll be fine. Please, don’t use truth spells on me…or any form of substance that has a similar effect. They do not react well with me.” He glanced away, avoiding their stunned gazes. None of them had expected such an extreme breakdown. 

“Your cuffs suppress magic.” Siegrain seemed to sound awed, but Zeref didn’t know what he was hinting at. “Earlier, before you began elaborating your first response, I could have sworn your eyes changed color. It was fascinating to see…but also impossible, considering your situation.”

Blinking, Lahar glanced over at Zeref with alarm in his gaze. This was dangerous territory, impinging on revealing the truth about who he was. “That tends to happen when I am angry. Magic suppressants only go so far when managing a curse.” 

“You have a curse that activates when you are angry? That seems odd, if you ask me. It doesn’t really give you much of a punishment.” Ultear looked doubtful, but Zeref turned back towards her with a dark smile.

“Not in the slightest. When I am angry, I gain control over every power granted to me by this curse. As I stated before, it is not something you wish to see.” She raised an eyebrow at him, as if daring him to prove himself. “Actually, you’ve already seen a brief glimpse of what this curse can do, when I don’t have control. Have you visited the forest around Era recently? Or, perhaps now it is more accurately described as the wastelands around Era.”

All three of them stiffened, staring at him with wide eyes. “That…was a curse?” Yajima looked uncertain as he spoke, frightened over the idea. “How do you possible stop yourself from spreading more panic, with power like that being unleashed at random?”

“No.” Zeref wasn’t going to get involved in this, not after what they had done. “Your actions today have proven that you are not to be trusted. I spoke of my curse because it is likely you were already realizing something of that nature existed before. If you wish for details on exactly how it works, you will have to discover them on your own, just as I have.”

Sighing, Yajima nodded. “Without an answer, however, you do still pose a risk to Fiore. Rather than execution, I feel as if monitoring the problem would be more useful for us.” Glancing towards Siegrain, he saw the other man nod in agreement. Ultear just shrugged, not looking like she had an opinion on the matter. “Captain Lahar will be observing you from now on, and reporting your actions back to us. If you do anything that seems like a threat to our nation, you will be brought back here for your trial to be reviewed further. Now, Natsu. You have said nothing to prove yourself innocent.”

“Hey, I was just—“ Zeref pulled Natsu back, shaking his head. This wasn’t something the dragon slayer could get himself out of, not with his rash and impulsive nature.

He turned towards Lahar, watching the captain nod slightly and push his glasses up on his face. “I informed the Council of how the three of us were brought into another world. I’m assuming his dragon slaying magic allowed him to sense the approaching danger, and his actions were an attempt to keep Zeref in our custody rather than allowing him to be swallowed by the spell that found us.” Once again, Zeref couldn’t help but frown at the reply. He had hoped that Lahar would have learned from before, but he seemed to be wrong.

Sighing, Siegrain only shook his head and placed his hand to his forehead. “As you wish. Lahar, you are in charge of observing both of them, then. We have other matters to attend to, if you don’t mind, so this trial is dismissed.”

With that, two guards entered the room. They approached Zeref and Natsu, first releasing Natsu’s cuffs before moving on to Zeref. Carefully, he unfurled his arms to allow them to uncuff him, but his hands remained clenched in fists, with the broken chain dangling from one of them. Unlike before, Zeref had experienced too much anger recently and a lack of valuing these Council members’ lives for his curse to want to burst out another time.

Now freed, Zeref’s senses returned to him in an instant, and he immediately froze. There was an active spell in this room already. Glancing around, he spotted the source from Siegrain, who was observing them silently. While Lahar and Natsu moved to leave, Zeref narrowed his gaze at the council member. This magic, it was similar to illusion magic, but more powerful in a way. It explained everything, and while it wasn’t the best decision for maintaining his freedom, he wanted to show this man what happened to anyone who thought it would be entertaining to torment him with his own mind.

“A bit of advice, before I leave.” Zeref smiled darkly at them. “It is ill-advised to attempt to resurrect the dead, Jellal. However, if you truly are going to stay on that path…the R-System is not the spell you are looking for.”

Siegrain stiffened, staring at him with wide eyes. There was only one name a man with his appearance should be known by, and that was the name of his Edolas counter-part. Rather than waiting for a response, Zeref approached Lahar and Natsu, gripping both of their shoulders before vanishing in an instant, activating his teleportation magic. Even if the Council had told them to disband, if Zeref knew anything about his guild, he knew they would still be together somewhere. He would find them again, starting with the place they had most recently called home.


	70. New Members

Teleportation was normally simple, at least, for Zeref it was. Centuries of practice had made spells like this simple for him, but outside interference could cause trouble for even him. As the spell neared its completion, Zeref felt a wall impede his path to their destination. Reconfiguring their destination slightly, Zeref quickly let them arrive just further down the path from their former guild hall. However, the sudden alteration to the spell made their arrival a bit less comfortable than normal.

Heat seemed to surround them from the extra energy used. Zeref and Natsu were fine, but it made Lahar sweat as smoke rose and clouded their vision. Zeref could hear someone coughing within the area as it cleared away on the breeze, but he knew that something was off. Someone had put a barrier spell of some form up around here. It was his job to determine who, so Fairy Tail would have a home to return to.

As he began to take a step towards the guild hall, he was stopped by Lahar who finally managed to recover from the teleportation. “Are you insane? Saying something like that to Siegrain is unacceptable. You finally freed yourself from prison, and now, you’ve insulted one of the few members on the council that had been more lenient towards your actions.”

Zeref glanced at Lahar out of the corner of his eye. “Your council needs to be more careful than I thought. I don’t even have to know the other members to see that Siegrain, as you call him, is the one behind pushing to discover this tower. He has something planned…though I can’t say I understand what it is…” Pausing, Zeref tried to figure out what benefit being discovered could have. Likely, the Council would attempt to destroy any recreation of the R-System at this time.

Destruction seemed like a path to end the spell. If that was his goal, Zeref wondered if the person in charge of the tower was an enemy of some kind. However, it still didn’t quite fit. An enemy working on an unusable spell seemed more like a benefit, since that enemy would be wasting their time and effort on accomplishing nothing. It just didn’t make sense, unless he was somehow fooled into thinking an attack could activate the spell.

As strange as that thought was, it was what made him freeze with wide eyes. “That’s it…” Lahar only sighed and shook his head.

By his side, Natsu grinned and laughed at him. It made Zeref glance towards the boy, seeing his amused look for a moment. “Sorry, but I finally get it. You think out loud, don’t you? That’s why you start answering questions and never really make much sense sometimes.” 

Staring at Zeref, Lahar frowned slightly. “Natsu, there is likely more to it than that.”

“Actually, there isn’t. Years of attempting to isolate myself as much as possible made me used to solitude, where I could speak my mind.”

The rune knight captain ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes for a moment. “Regardless, just what risk is there for our council? How is Siegrain’s pushing to find this tower a concern at all?”

Blinking, Zeref slowly turned his gaze back towards Lahar again. “Oh, I’ve just realized that he found a way to activate the R-System, that’s all. Quite a remarkable plan, actually, one I never even considered using.”

“Siegrain found a way to do that? He is trying to destroy the tower, not create it!.” 

Lahar’s argument would have been valid, if it wasn’t for the method the council would use. “In a specific way, I imagine. Your Council is in the possession of a powerful destructive magic that I’m willing to assume Siegrain wishes to use against the tower. If constructed properly…the R-System could absorb the magical energy of Etherion and store it for later use. As I stated before, seeing that potential is simply remarkable…it makes me wish I had seen it myself, to be honest.”

“Hold on a second,” Natsu stepped forward, frowning as he stared at Zeref. “You’re saying that this tower is used for resurrection, right?” Zeref nodded. “And you got cursed for messing with that kind of thing, right?” Seeing where he was going, Zeref nodded, smiling slightly.

“That is what makes this so interesting. For him to not gain Ankhseram’s Curse, one of two things must be true.” Both Natsu and Lahar looked interested as he resumed walking towards the guild hall. “Either the R-System is no where near capable of resurrection…something I highly doubt, since I am the one who designed it, or Jellal is not seeking to bring back anyone who is dead. Likely, he is misguided and believes someone is dead, who is actually alive.”

“What are you planning to do about any of this? The theory is worrying, however, there is no proof of your words. Siegrain has been a member of our council for nearly five years now, and this is the first time he has ever even mentioned this tower. Even if he is somehow hiding his identity, and he is the Jellal of Earthland, how does that prove anything?” Lahar was admirably defending his superior, but Zeref knew better.

Raising an eyebrow, Zeref turned his head towards the rune knight. “Siegrain is nothing more than a thought projection, Captain. As soon as my magic was back in Era, I could sense it. That is why I made my comment as we left, to warn him not to interfere with me in the future.”

Lahar nodded, frowning and pursing his lips as his eyes narrowed slightly and his brows became closer to each other. His head fell forward, inclining slightly as he became silent. Meanwhile, the dragon slayer on Zeref’s other side seemed to finally come out of the brief moment of thoughtfulness he had. “Hey, I just realized something. Didn’t you say you were gonna use resurrection magic to save Mavis? Does that mean that this actually helps us?”

That comment made Zeref stop completely once more. His eyes widened, turning towards Natsu as he thought back to just what the R-System could do. He knew everything about how it worked, and the intricate design that would take nearly a decade to complete if he had been constructing it himself. Someone had already finished the construction of such a tower, and that person was about to give it the energy required to become active. Considering his methods of resurrection, the R-System was preferred as it would not taint the humanity in the subject meant to be brought back. 

As someone who was not in the loop of his plans, Lahar gasped slightly in shock. “Resurrect Mavis? I thought…didn’t you claim she wasn’t technically dead?”

Slowly, Zeref nodded and blinked towards Natsu. “She isn’t, but she is close enough that healing spells cannot reach her.” His brow furrowed, wondering if it really was worth it. The R-System was a method that could work, but it was a far darker method than most people realized. A sacrifice was necessary to activate it, one that was meant to become a host body for the one resurrected. However, he had no need for that. If he used Mavis herself…no, that would be far too risky. “Maybe with Irene…no, I’d need a healer too…Wendy. Irene and Wendy, with both of them…”

He hadn’t realized that the end of his thoughts were spoken until he saw the mystified expressions on both Natsu’s and Lahar’s faces. “We need to find Fairy Tail again. Our long-run dream of returning our first master to us is almost complete…I simply need a few more things before venturing out towards finding her freedom.” With that, a smile began to spread across his face. It looked dark and intimidating to most people, but for Zeref, it was the first sign of a chance he had in a long time. 

Picking up the pace, Zeref remained silent despite the questions coming from both Lahar and Natsu. They seemed to almost echo in the silent forest around them, though eventually, both of them stopped and realized the black wizard was not going to be providing them with answers. When he neared the guild, Zeref stopped and frowned at the enchantment surrounding the building. Purple lettering floated in the air, words written on nothing that made Zeref pause to read the runic writing. Only those bearing the mark of Fairy Tail may enter. 

That explained the issue with the teleportation. While Zeref may have been able to enter, Natsu and Lahar would have been blocked. The enchantment itself…it looked like Freed’s work. That made Zeref frown. His guild should be disbanded at the moment, so it was not the best move to return to Oshibana for any of them. While the enchantment may delay entry, the Council had ways of rewriting and eliminating spells like this. 

Pressing a hand to the wall, Zeref focused on rewriting it himself. For Natsu and Lahar to enter, he needed the enchantment to allow them to pass. While he didn’t necessarily remove it entirely, he could move the words around enough so that the enchantment bypassed Natsu and Lahar, searching only others for Fairy Tail’s mark. With the small change finished, Zeref moved forward again. Natsu and Lahar had been watching in silence, unsure of what Zeref’s plan was at the moment.

The building was just as Zeref remembered. A massive gothic castle-like structure stood before them. Wilted trees surrounded the area, their branches arched in various places and giving them the appearance of ominous protectors over the area. With the darkened gray exterior, accented with spots of black, the guild hall itself seemed to scream danger, though he knew better than to walk away. Based on the enchantment, at least Freed was here. Perhaps Laxus had decided to make this place his home after the guild disbanded.

Walking towards the door, Zeref glanced back at Lahar for a moment and hesitated. “You are meant to be observing me. Does this mean any illegal actions, however minor, will be reported back to your superiors?”

The rune knight captain watched him for a moment, hesitating. After a second, he sighed and pressed a hand to his forehead. “I must be insane…but no, I will let them slide for now. You’ve grown on me, and oddly, I feel as if this is not the way our laws were meant to treat others. Fairy Tail did nothing wrong…it was our assumption about your death that caused all of this. For that, if you do re-establish your guild, I will overlook that discrepancy.” 

Smiling, Zeref nodded and pulled the door open to the guild hall. Inside, he had expected it to be rather empty, with only a few wizards returning after their trial. However, he was stunned to see it just as full as before. Cana was drinking at one of the tables, with Lisanna, Elfman, Macao, and Wakaba cheering her on. Levy was sitting at the bar with Mira, smiling and talking to her about something. By her side, however, was something even more surprising—two wizards, who Zeref had yet to mark as members of the guild. One was acceptable, a person he intended on joining anyway. With her blue hair tied up in pigtails, Wendy Marvel sat at the counter, drinking a cup of juice and cheerfully talking to Mira. By her side, however, was going to be an issue.

Blond hair was turned towards him, tied up in a blue bow. Zeref could see most of the back of her shirt, hints of white and blue trailing out from behind the edges of her hair. It covered a small section of her dark blue skirt, which was held up with a brown leather belt. He had met her quite a while ago, on a train ride to Oshibana that got cancelled. She was Lucy Heartfilia, and she should not be present in the guild.

Walking towards them, Zeref ignored the questions of how the guild was even together at this point. Fairy Tail could do what it wanted to do, he wasn’t upset with them reforming after the Council’s orders to disband. He was, however, upset with them foolishly letting the Heartfilia girl into the guild. 

At the counter, Mira smiled over at him. “Master, you’re back! We were wondering when you’d get out of prison. Actually, a few of us were starting to plan a breakout for you.” She giggled at the idea, waving over towards Wendy and Lucy. “Also, I wanted to introduce you to some new members of ours…I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of giving them guild marks for everything they’ve done. If it wasn’t for Wendy and Lucy, I don’t think we would have stayed together like this. Since Wendy already seemed to know you, I thought it’d be alright.”

Running a hand through his hair, Zeref now found that he did want an explanation to how the guild stayed together. His gaze fell on Wendy and Lucy, seeing the blue haired wizard smiling brightly while Lucy’s brown eyes widened. “Hey, it’s you! You were the guy from the train that tried to jump off!”

“You tried to jump off of a train?” Natsu looked confused, scratching his hair. “I mean, I get you’re all depressed and stuff, but wouldn’t that just be painful for you?”

Zeref sighed and shook his head. “It was before I met you. I had thought it may be quicker to get to Oshibana if I simply left the train that had already been traveling towards the city.” The dragon slayer nodded, seeming to understand as Zeref focused back on Lucy. “What are you even doing here? I thought I advised you to find a different guild to join.”

Grinning, Lucy turned around. “Well, yeah, but Fairy Tail has always been my dream. Like I said, I just couldn’t picture the guild as a dark guild. Being here…I can really see it, too. You guys may not be official, but you don’t take jobs that are meant to kill others. This place isn’t like what most people would consider a dark guild…and I think it’s perfect for me.”

“How did this even happen? Perhaps this place wasn’t the best decision…Fairy Tail can be found far too easily, it seems.” Zeref was going to consider other potential places, but Wendy smiled at him and joined in.

“It’s kind of a long story. Really, it all started a few weeks ago, back when you guys were all arrested by the rune knights. Charle had grabbed me and we were flying back towards town….” As Wendy continued on, Zeref closed his eyes and took a seat. This was going to be a long story, one that he would have to be patient and sit through in order to remain calm about the sudden introduction of a Heartfilia to the guild.


	71. The Beginning of an Adventure

(A few weeks earlier)

Arriving back in Oshibana, Wendy was still feeling upset. She could have helped Natsu and Zeref, but Charle had forced her to run away. “We have to go back! They need our help, we can’t just leave them.” Charle huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and shaking her head.

“It’s far too dangerous. I’m here to protect you, Wendy, I won’t let you go running around with dark wizards just because you think it would be fun.” 

Sighing, Wendy shook her head. She didn’t want to fight with the only person who had been by her side ever since Grandeeney left. As a result, she simply began walking down the streets, wondering what to do next. The Council had come to her with this mission, wanting extra help, but Wendy didn’t really know what else she could do. Searching for Grandeeney by herself was a daunting task, and it felt like it would be too lonely if she went out on her own to do so. Part of her had been excited to meet Natsu because of that, but that was before she learned that Zeref knew about her dragon too.

The way he had talked back in Alvarez, Wendy wondered just what he knew. Something dangerous enough to destroy the world—it wasn’t something she felt like she deserved to know. As much as her heart ached to see Grandeeney again, she knew that it just might be best to leave it alone. Maybe searching for the dragon wasn’t the right thing to do right now. Maybe she should try going back to the guild, to see if they had managed to escape from the trap.

Her gaze flickered towards the street Zeref had brought her down as she thought of that. However, her feet kept pulling her forward. Charle wouldn’t want her to do that, despite the fact that she had made some new friends. Part of her understood, too. Zeref was a dangerous wizard, based on everything she had heard. However, there was something in him that made Wendy want to help him. He just seemed so sad and alone, just like her. If he had one friend, Wendy thought his life just might be a little bit better. Bringing back Mavis had been how she planned on doing that for him, but she wasn’t strong enough. It seemed like that was how everything went for her, actually. She wasn’t strong enough for a lot of things.

Biting her lip, Wendy was still debating what to do when she collided with someone on the street. She fell backward, landing on her but and scraping her elbows as she tried to stop her back from slamming into the ground. “Ow…” she whined, closing her eyes and shaking her head slightly. After a moment, she leaned forward and glanced at the person she ran into. It was a teenager, about Natsu’s age. She had short blond hair, and was dressed in a heart creuz shirt and a blue skirt.

She watched the girl get back up, shaking her head and smiling slightly down at Wendy. “Sorry about that, I wasn’t really focused on where I was going. Here, let me help you up.” The girl held a hand out towards her, which Wendy took gratefully and rose to her feet.

“No…it was my fault. I was the one who was too busy thinking to watch out for others…sorry…” Wendy nervously played with the front of her dress, uncertain of what else to add.

The girl’s kind brown eyes softened, and she folded her hands behind her back. “Well, I guess we’re a lot alike then. I keep finding all of these dead ends….sorry, you probably don’t want to hear about my problems. My name’s Lucy, what’s yours?”

Smiling, Wendy nodded and decided to stick with her for a little bit, at least. “Wendy, and this is my partner, Charle.” The cat nodded, glancing up towards Lucy.

“Well, it’s nice to meet both of you. What brings you to Oshibana? Last I heard, it has a lot of trouble with dark guilds. I didn’t expect to run into someone so young here.”

Smiling, Wendy rubbed the back of her head and tried to smile it off. Unfortunately, her grin looked more like a guilty smile than a pleasant one. “Oh…nothing much! I was just looking for something, that’s all. Charle here told me not to do it, though, so I was just trying to figure out what to do next.”

Blinking, Lucy’s eyes widened slightly. “Really? I’m looking for something too! I heard that Fairy Tail went dark, and I’ve been trying for months to figure out just where they ended up. It’s always been my dream to be a part of that guild…and I still can’t believe that they’d really do anything that evil. I mean, all the magazines say they’re the best…plus, the members are so nice, and they all treat each other like family. Really, they’re the greatest guild ever!” Lucy was gushing over the guild, while Wendy glanced at Charle, frowning in uncertainty.

The cat huffed, glancing up at the girl with a scowl. “That guild is exactly what got us into so much trouble in the first place. If you want to find them, they’re likely going to be disbanded now. From what we could tell, the rune knights were raiding their guild hall just a few moments ago.” Wendy shrieked, kneeling down and covering Charle’s mouth with her hand.

“No! I promised Mister Spriggan…now how is he going to trust me?” Wendy sighed, shaking her head. She turned towards Lucy, who was staring at them in shock. Slowly, Wendy finally gave in and realized it was a bit too late to hide everything. “I…I wanted to join the guild too.” 

With that, Lucy grabbed Wendy’s hand once more. “Great! Then we’re going to work together, alright? I’ve already come this far, and I’m not about to give up. Between the two of us, I’m certain we’ll find all of the guild members again, and bring Fairy Tail back to its former glory.”

Blinking at her, Wendy let her hand fall from Charle’s mouth. Maybe this was her answer, her way to get the family she was looking for. By her side, Charle sighed and shook her head. “I’m going to have to help, aren’t I? You don’t seem to grasp how dangerous he is, Wendy…but I suppose I can only do so much. If this is your decision, I will help you, even though I disagree with your choice.” 

Smiling, Wendy hugged her friend tightly. “Thank you! I promise, I’ll do my best to stay strong and not make you do all the work to defend me. If I have to…if I have to, I’ll even learn how to fight, like Natsu. Once I’m stronger…I’ll be able to help more people, and I know that I will be able to finally help heal Mavis.” Realizing her slip, Wendy bit her lip and glanced towards Lucy. However, the blond didn’t seem to notice or care, so Wendy only smiled and stood back up.

“Well, whatever it is your talking about, you might want to wrap it up. You said Fairy Tail was under arrest now, right?” Wendy nodded in response to Lucy’s question. “Well, that likely means they are in Era. That’s the headquarters for the Magic Council, and also the place where they hold wizards captive due to their ability to nullify magic there. I don’t think there are any trains that go directly to Era…but I might be able to find one that goes to Crocus. That’s only a few miles away, so we could probably manage to walk from there.”

Amazed, Wendy smiled and began walking next to Lucy towards Oshibana Station. “That’s amazing! How did you learn so much about this stuff? I can hardly understand my own magic, much less how Fiore governs over it. Actually…directions in general aren’t really easy for me.” Rubbing the back of her head, Wendy glanced towards Charle. She had always had issues remembering which roads to take, and which ones she had to avoid. As a result, she almost always relied on others to tell her where to go, and how to get there. Charle helped a lot, as did her extra senses that came with her magic, but without either of them, Wendy had a feeling she would be getting lost a lot more. Granted, once she got familiar to an area, she got around just fine. The more she thought about it, the more she realized it was only new places that confused her, and she traveled a lot to new towns. 

She saw Lucy glance down towards her. “Don’t worry about it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten lost on my own…I ended up here in Oshibana while trying to get to Clover! I heard a rumor that Fairy Tail had been in that town recently…but I guess it doesn’t really matter now.” Smiling, Wendy strode into the doors of the train station, with Wendy by her side. “You know, this might be a bit dangerous. I don’t even know what we’re going to do when we get to Era…” Biting her lip, Lucy glanced towards Wendy nervously. 

This time, Wendy had an answer. Her expression hardened, and her hands clenched into fists at her side. Zeref was a kind man, willing to help her grow stronger and give her a new home. Despite his reputation, neither he nor his guild had done anything wrong. “It will. If Fairy Tail is still captured when we arrive…I will free them. I won’t ask you to do the same, since you don’t know any of them that well…but I met their Master, once. He doesn’t deserve to be punished like that, and I am not going to just sit back and do nothing while he suffers.”

The blond looked surprised, her eyes wide. “You met Fairy Tail’s Master? That’s amazing…” She trailed off, looking uncertain for a moment. Her brown eyes gazed into Wendy’s, and after a brief moment, she nodded. “Either way, I don’t think I’d be able to live with myself if I let you do something that dangerous by yourself. I’m dreaming of joining a dark guild…so I might as well take the leap and do something illegal. When we get to Era, we’re breaking in and freeing Fairy Tail. Then, we’re both joining the guild, and we’re going to go on so many new adventures together.”

She sounded hopeful, and Wendy couldn’t help but smile at the thought. Lucy was a nice girl, and Wendy was glad she met her. Maybe it hadn’t been her right to reveal quite so much about the guild to Lucy, but it was already done. For now, she would just worry about getting to Crocus. From there, they would go to Era, and finally, Wendy would be able to do something that helped ease the black wizard’s suffering in some form.


	72. The Jiggle Butt Gang

Traveling to Era was meant to be a simple task. Wendy was calmly sitting in the train, watching the trees rush by them out the window. Lucy sat across from her, smiling and talking about their plans. “Alright, plan A is to be discrete. We can’t be caught breaking into the prison, so we need a distraction. That’s where I come in. I’ll use my feminine whiles to charm the guards, while you sneak in. If anyone sees you, you can just claim you were looking for the bathroom or something. With your age, they’ll believe you and write it off. After all, your cute too, so even if you’re young, you can work that to your advantage.”

It was a bit much for Wendy, imagining doing the things Lucy was describing. She wanted to seduce guards, which just made her uncomfortable to picture. It might be okay for the celestial wizard to do so, but she felt way too young to even attempt something like that. So, instead of focusing on her words, Wendy shot up to her feet suddenly. “Sorry, but I have to…go grab a snack.” With that, she rushed away from Lucy to avoid hearing more of her strange plans.

Charle followed after her, though Wendy didn’t look back to see her. Walking on a moving train was different than normal ground, but it was kind of fun if she focused on it. Keeping her balance was like a game. Every time the train moved to push her over, she would have to focus on leaning the other way to stay on her feet. It made her smile, though she got too distracted and didn’t pay attention to where she was going.

Taking a deep breath, Wendy decided that maybe she could get her head wrapped around Lucy’s plan better if she had some fresh air. She was a sky dragon slayer, after all. Air was supposed to make her feel stronger. Before long, she found a cart at the end of the train, small and carrying what looked like the luggage of the passengers on the train. Within that cart, there was a ladder attached to the wall that led towards a hatch on the roof. Pushing it open, Wendy climbed up towards the roof and inhaled deeply, closing her eyes and enjoying the fresh air. It was tainted slightly by the smoke from the train, but it was still much more crisp than the muggy stale air in the train cars.

Technically, it had been her idea to break into Era. She shouldn’t have been feeling so guilty about listening to Lucy’s plans. However, they made her feel…dirty. She didn’t want to use others like that, by tricking and deceiving them. It just wasn’t right, and she didn’t know if she was willing to go that far. Then again, she was breaking into a prison, so that likely meant fighting people…which would ultimately hurt them. Shaking her head, Wendy sat down on the roof and tried to untangle the mess of her thoughts.

As she did so, Wendy noticed someone else on the roof. Glancing towards the right, she saw three men standing around in a huddle, with oddly shaped butts. They were holding their posteriors in the air, with them bouncing around on occasion. All three were dressed in dark blue jumpsuits, and with their position, she couldn’t quite see their faces, but she could hear what they were saying.

“Attention! We are here to rob these rich men blind of their treasures. After all, only a true scoundrel would be able to execute a plan as devious as this!” He sounded like the one leading them.

Another one of the men joined in. Without names, Wendy decided to call him, the taller of the other two, Lackey A in her thoughts. “Uh, Boss?” There was a slight pause. “I think we’re on the wrong train. From what I saw inside, there were only a bunch of passengers…I didn’t see any gold.”

“What?” The leader sounded shocked, and in disbelief. He stood up straight, clapping his hands on his cheeks as his jaw dropped. However, he slammed it shut and glared at the two instead. “How dare you direct us onto the wrong train? Give me twenty seven push-ups, now!”

The two lackeys immediately fell to the ground, doing as their leader demanded. At least, that lasted for a moment before the shorter lackey paused, glancing up at his boss. “Wait a second…shouldn’t we be spending our time getting to the right train instead?”

The boss stopped for a moment, before dramatically turning around and placing his hand on his forehead. “What a foolish mistake? I have wasted our precious time. Lackeys, let us be off to find the correct—“ He had turned around to give both of them orders, but at that moment, his gaze seemed to find Wendy, who was watching them with a confused frown. She didn’t quite understand why these men were so weird. Overall, they seemed…kind of odd, but they seemed somewhat nice in a way. They were friends, and they seemed to care a lot for each other at least.

Coming closer, the leader placed his hands on his hips and narrowed his gaze at Wendy. “Drat, we’ve been spotted! Little girl, just how much of our evil plans have you heard?”

She didn’t quite get what was so evil about them. Sure, they had planned on robbing someone, but they weren’t even close to the right place to do so. “Uh…none, I guess. Your plans didn’t sound that bad to me…though, the train you’re looking for must be a private one. I don’t think someone would leave valuable items on a public train like this one…” She saw the man raise a finger to counter her argument, but he dropped it slowly and sighed.

“Oh, the struggles of being a true scoundrel in such a world as this one! Young girl, you understand my pain, don’t you?” Slowly, Wendy nodded. This was just getting to be too weird, and she didn’t want to upset the man any further. He already seemed so sad about being on the wrong train. 

Unsure of if she should help criminals or not, Wendy decided that the least she could do was cheer him up. “Well…I don’t know if this helps or not…but this train is going to Crocus. That’s supposed to be the capital city of Fiore…I’m certain you can find something to occupy your time there.”

The leader frowned, turning back towards his friends for a moment. The three huddled up once more, whispering even though Wendy could still hear every word they said. “This little girl has a good point, boss.” Lackey A commented.

“Yeah, there’s probably tons of rich folks over in that city.” Lackey B added.

With a grin, the leader seemed to get an idea. “I know! We’ll ride this train to its destination, and from there, we’ll steal all the gold from the most elite people in Fiore! That is a truly scandalous plan for scoundrels like us.”

“Great idea boss!” Lackey B stated.

“Yeah, we should have thought of that sooner. I guess that’s why you’re our leader.” Lackey A added.

Nodding, the leader smiled brightly towards all of them. “Indeed, I shall lead us only down the darkest of paths! We will be ultimate criminals, and everyone will soon know of the name of the Jiggle Butt Gang!”

“Um…excuse me…” Wendy tried getting their attention, speaking softly from behind them. The three stood up straight, before the boss turned towards her with his hands folded behind his back.

“Yes, little girl?”

Nervously playing with her hands, Wendy debated just how to state what was on her mind. “You see…you don’t have to be scoundrels. I mean, you guys seem like such nice men…there is a lot of potential in all of you that you just have to work on realizing.” The three frowned in confusion.

After a moment, the leader laughed and closed his eyes. His hands were placed on his hips, and his chest puffed out proudly. “Aha, true scoundrels like us will never be reformed! Our path was chosen long ago, and there is no way for us to become the heroes you wish for us to be.”

“Well…you haven’t really done any crimes yet, have you?”

Wendy’s question made the leader’s jaw drop again, as he hunched over and stuttered for a moment. “B-but…we will! Many heinous crimes will be committed by the Jiggle Butt Gang. I promise you that!”

Shaking her head, Wendy grasped his hands and smiled brightly at them. “I know someone who did just that, and he wasn’t very happy afterwords. He’s actually a good friend of mine, and he’s kind and sweet just like you three are. If he used his power for good, I know that he would be able to accomplish anything, just like you three can. He showed me that my magic can be more powerful than I ever thought…and I can do the same for all of you.”

Staring at her, the leader seemed to slowly have a light in his eyes. After a moment, tears started spilling down his cheeks and he fell to his knees by her feet. Startled, Wendy’s eyes widened and she took a stumbling step back, but the man already wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly. “Such an amazing young girl—no, Goddess. I never imagined someone so kind would see potential light in a scoundrel like me!” He sobbed for a few more moments before rising to his feet, turning towards the others while wiping away a few lingering tears.

“Men, new orders! From now on—er, what is your name, Goddess?” 

Holding her hands to her chest, Wendy leaned back slightly and bit her lip. “Uh..Wendy…Wendy Marvel…”

Grinning, the leader wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pressed her tightly to his side. The dragon slayer looked around nervously for Charle, but her companion seemed to have vanished somewhere. Maybe she went back inside to sit with Lucy, which Wendy kind of wished she could do as well. “From now on. Goddess Wendy shall be our leader! Please, guide us on the path to the light, so we can finally free ourselves from our criminal ways. If your friend can be saved, so can we!”

With that, all three of them were on the ground, bowing before her. “Uh…I don’t think I’m ready to do that…” She took a nervous step backwards, but the three only crawled closer.

“Please, Goddess, you must lead us! Put this on, and become the Jiggle Butt Goddess!” The leader handed out a jumpsuit identical to theirs.

Grabbing it, Wendy frowned and began regretting her decision to come up here. She would have been better off discussing plans with Lucy. Sighing, she finally realized that she had started this, so she had to finish it. In a few moments, she was changed into the new uniform, and ready to stand before them. She just hoped no one would see her like this. “Alright, it’s time for us to be reformed! Lackeys, stand up!”

In unison, all of them rose to their feet at her command. Grinning, Wendy realized that maybe this would be fun. “First order of business, we are going to save my friends. Are we all ready to find them?”

“Yes, Goddess Wendy!” Lackey A insisted.

“Just tell us where to go, Goddess!” Lackey B added.

The former leader nodded in affirmation, looking pleased with the plan. “Helping friends, of course!”

“Alright, then we’re going to be breaking into the wizard holding cells of Era! Who wants to join in on the brainstorming session?” Wendy smiled at them, seeing them blink and stare at each other.

“Brilliant! A criminal act, done for good reasons. It is the perfect way to reform us, one small step at a time!” The leader had tears in his eyes again, his hands clenched into fists in front of his chest.

Lackey A nodded in agreement. “That’s why she’s our Goddess. Only the smartest goddess for us, right Boss?”

“I am no longer your boss, Kalen. Please, refer to me as Gocche from now on.” He bowed respectfully towards Wendy. “She is Boss now, though Goddess is the far more fitting title.”

Nodding in agreement, the other lackey grinned. “Whatever you say, Gocche. So, Goddess, what kind of security are we talking here? Us former scoundrels know how to perform all sorts of criminal acts.”

The others nodded in agreement, while Wendy realized that this just might work to their advantage, in a strange way. “Uh…I’m not really certain…but there’ll definitely be wizards guarding the cells! Oh, and I think I heard that magic doesn’t work down there…um…” Wendy placed a hand on her chin, trying to think of what else she knew about Era.

Nodding, Gocche glanced towards the others with a determined expression. “Alright, we can handle the guards no problem. When we get there, we shall put them down with our famous Triple Gas Butt Ecstasy!” Wendy didn’t even want to know what that was, but she nodded anyway.

“Alright, so the guards are down…next, we have to open the cells. Likely, we need a key of some sort…maybe the guards have it on them?” She hadn’t broken into a prison before, so she didn’t really know where to find it.

Nodding, Kalen smiled at her. “Amazing, she even knows who holds the keys to the cells! Our Goddess is a genius at creating devious plans to help reform scoundrels like us.” 

Nodding in agreement, Gocche placed his hands on the backs of the other two lackeys. “Indeed, we are in good hands with this one. Kalen, Marco, show some respect for our new leader…and tell her to leave all the work to us! We will free your friends, so your pure soul doesn’t have to be tainted by dark work such as this!” 

“Um…I can help too…” Wendy tried nervously.

Shaking his head, Gocche stretched his arm out to include her in the embrace, pulling her tightly against Marco and squishing both of them to his side. “Nonsense! Your soul has not been darkened by dirty work like this. It is our job to protect our Goddess, even if it means tainting ourselves once more.” 

These people were crazy, but Wendy couldn’t really back down now. Sighing, she nodded and closed her eyes. At least it would be over soon. Then again, the train ride was supposed to take a full day to get to Crocus, not to mention the walking distance from there to Era. It was going to be a long trip. 

At that moment, the hatch behind Wendy opened once more, and someone new joined them on the roof of the train. Glancing towards them, Wendy was surprised to see Lucy, being lead by Charle. “There they are! These criminals were about to threaten—wait, what are you wearing?”

The three scoundrels blinked at the newcomers, before grabbing Wendy in a protective embrace. “Stand back! We don’t know if these new intruders are friendly or not, but I assure you, we will protect you, Goddess Wendy!” Gocche shouted.

The other two lackeys nodded in agreement, their backs turned towards Lucy and Charle as their hands held Wendy back. “Um…they’re my friends…” Wendy stated nervously. Blinking, the tree immediately backed down and fell to the ground again, bowing before her.

“Our mistake, Goddess Wendy! Please, forgive us for threatening your companions!”

With their faces gazing down towards the ground, Wendy didn’t really know which one had spoken. However, she nodded and smiled proudly towards them all. “Of course! You were only trying to protect me, and that is a sign that your good instincts are finally kicking in!”

“How kind!” Wendy was beginning to wonder just how often this leader of theirs would be crying over her comments. They really were overly dramatic.

“Charle said you needed help…but it looks like you’ve got it covered. Who are these people anyway?” Lucy was curious, while Wendy rubbed the back of her head and blushed slightly.

“Um…they’re my gang now…I think?” They nodded in affirmation and rose to their feet, crowding behind her and pushing her forward slightly. “I told them I’d help reform them…then they started calling me their goddess and agreed to help us free our friends from Era!”

Charle pressed a hand to her forehead, shaking her head slightly. “Only you could manage to get a gang to agree to help with your plans. Either way, I can’t say I’m overly upset with the idea of having more help.” She smiled at Wendy moving to go back inside.

Turning back towards their new allies, Wendy smiled. “Alright, let’s go back inside then! After all, we should ride in comfort until we get to Crocus.” The three nodded in agreement, quickly rushing after her to the inside of the train. After that, things were a bit awkward, but with the added help, Wendy felt more confident in their ability to free Fairy Tail. Hopefully, these guys really could help, because otherwise, she was putting herself through a lot of discomfort for nothing. Staring towards them, Wendy shook her head. It wasn’t for nothing, actually. This did seem to be helping them a lot, and maybe it really would reform them if she tried hard enough.


	73. Keeping Family Together

The journey was just as tiring as Wendy had predicted. Her three new friends were constantly asking her for orders. She didn’t know if she felt good about their constant compliments, or just uncomfortable, but it got tiring rather quickly. Lucy did her best to keep her distance from them, eyeing them warily, but Wendy couldn’t quite bring herself to do the same. Once again, her conflicted feelings made it difficult to decide what to do. As irritating as they could be, they really did seem to want to help her. All of their talk about calling her their goddess was true to them, so she couldn’t really complain.

With the train ride over, Lucy, Wendy, and the Jiggle Butt Gang found themselves walking towards Era from Crocus. They had already left the crowded city, since they had gotten most of their rest on the train to the capital city. Now, Wendy was feeling a bit uncomfortable with their walk. It was dark, and they were in a large forest which was supposed to lead them to Era. Lucy insisted it was the truth, and to prove it, she brought out an odd penguin-like creature using her magic. “He can tell us the way to go. Pyxis always knows what direction to take. So, where is Era from here again?”

In response to her question, the compass on the spirit’s head began to spin. Finally, the red arrow pointed off in the distance, leaving Lucy and the spirit as their guide to the Magic Council’s headquarters. Things pretty much proceeded like that for a while, though Wendy found herself constantly getting jostled by the Jiggle Butt Gang’s members who were trying to keep her close for protection.

“What was that? Dangerous creatures roam these forests. Our Goddess can’t possibly venture on such a dangerous path!” One of the lackeys was attempting to protect her yet again, after walking for about an hour.

Gocche shook his head, standing proudly and gazing upon Wendy. “Nonsense! Our goddess is impervious to such dangers…nothing can harm her when she is shielded by her pureness of heart. We must trust in her to know what is best…and when things go bad, we will be here to keep her safe. Men, do not fret over danger that we are more than capable of handling!”

Nodding, the men saluted him before continuing on in silence. Such outbursts had been common throughout the trip, and she could see they were getting on Lucy’s nerves. “If they make one more outburst…” She was gritting her teeth, with her eyes closed and her hands clenched into fists. Seeing that, Wendy took a hesitant step away from her partner, unsure of if that anger would be unleashed on her or not.

Things were kind of creepy out here, though. Wendy had to admit that the sounds of crickets chirping was rather calming in a way, but when added in to random screeches from birds and the sound of the rustling leaves in the breeze, it became ominous. She felt like the animals were all watching them, waiting for a moment of weakness to attack. As such, she kept nervously glancing through the gaps between trees, looking for animals that just weren’t there.

When another bird chirped above them, Wendy gave out a little shriek and jumped towards Lucy. Her hand gripped the base of the other girl’s shirt, while Gocche immediately became alert. The other men gathered in a circle around him, prepared to fight off any threat. “All of you, knock it off!” Lucy’s shout managed to get the Jiggle Butt Gang to stand down, and it made Wendy flinch and release her friend. Lucy blinked, biting her lip and shaking her head before sighing and softening her gaze. “We’ll be just fine, okay Wendy? I’ve got my spirits by my side, and you’ve got your own magic. Between the two of us, I’m sure we can handle anything this forest has to throw at us.”

Slowly, Wendy nodded, but it didn’t mean her nerves were any better. The forest still creeped her out, as well as the darkness of the night. Part of her worried that a monster would attack them, though she knew that it was irrational. It wasn’t like magical creatures terrorized places like this often, and it would kind of make sense for Era to be protected by wards of some kind to fend off that type of threat. She was just being paranoid, and her dragon slayer senses were making things far too loud for her. It felt like things were far closer than they were, and she just had to remember that the loud snapping of branches she heard at times were coming from deer that were actually much deeper in the forest. 

Wendy honestly expected a challenge on this trip. Lucy was nice, and the other three men had been kind to her in their own way, but breaking into a prison was meant to be dangerous. None of them were really strong in terms of their magic, but they had the determination she thought would allow them to succeed. However, before they could even get to Era, Wendy heard something strange. It sounded like there were a lot of footsteps out here…and they were coming from something heavier than what she had been hearing before. It made her bite her lip again, not wanting to cry out like last time. Still, she knelt down and picked up Charle, holding her partner close to her chest for comfort. At least the softness of her fur was familiar, even if the smell of these woods bothered her nose. It wasn’t normal, smelling so many different animals and creatures at once. If she got too close to a large pack of animals, it could overwhelm her and make her massively confused at times.

This reminded her of that, Wendy noted. “There’s something coming…” she whispered quietly, not wanting the others to be too scared when something arrived. Part of her could have sworn that they smelled like people, but it just didn’t make sense for people to be out in the forest this late at night.

Her words made Lucy pause, frowning and staring out into the darkness. “Wendy…it’s probably just another deer or something. I told you before, we’re going to be just fine.” She tried giving Wendy an encouraging smile, but that was when the pounding became louder. This time, Lucy heard it too, her head turning sharply to their left where the noise was originating from. In a quick motion, Lucy swiped a key in front of her, sending Pyxis away. She seemed to be preparing to summon a different spirit, her hand resting on a new key within her ring. Unlike the other spirit’s key, this one was golden in color.

Watching for a moment, Wendy took a deep breath and stood next to Lucy. “I’m going to help too. I came on this mission to get stronger…and I won’t get any stronger by just sitting back and watching others fight my battles for me.”

Behind her, the three odd men seemed to stand in an oddly posed stance, their butts bouncing slightly as they adjusted to stand a bit more comfortable. “Yes, and we, the Jiggle Butt Gang, shall also battle with our unstoppable powers! No one can withstand our true strength and survive.” It was an ominous idea, and it made Wendy shudder when she thought back to them planning on using an attack called ‘triple gas but ecstasy’. Hopefully, that wouldn’t be necessary.

“Uh, Gocche?” Kalen seemd to scratch his head slightly. “If we aren’t scoundrels anymore, how can we still be considered a gang? I thought that only bad guys were a part of gangs, you know.”

The man paused, raising a hand in the air with his mouth open to try and counter. Dragging a hand down her face, Wendy sighed and shook her head. With how close the footsteps were, they really didn’t have time for this. “You guys can still be a…squad, I guess. I mean, groups of people working together can still be good, even if they don’t call themselves a gang.”

With a shine in his eyes, Gocche nodded in agreement. “Even better! From this day forward, we shall now be known as the Jiggle Butt Squad, defenders of Fiore and stoppers of criminals everywhere! With our reformed ways, no one understands the criminal underworld as good as we do, and thus, no true scoundrel can hide from us.” He sounded so proud of that fact that Wendy didn’t have the heart to tell them that they weren’t really heroes at all.

At that moment, Wendy tensed as she spotted the first signs of the approaching threat. A scent came to her on the breeze, definitely human. She frowned at that, waiting and watching as a rather young child came walking from the forest. He had black hair, and he actually looked like he was about her age. “Wait, there are people out here?” The kid stopped and frowned at her Shortly after, a larger group came after him, stopping along with him to stare at Lucy, Wendy, and the Jiggle Butt Squad.

“Romeo, what’s the—“ An older man with dark purple hair had begun to speak, before stopping and staring at the wizards in the forest. “Damn…more problems. First, we have to disband our guild, and now we have to face some group of robbers in the forest. Seems like today is just not our day.”

There was a nod of consent from another man by his side, with light brown hair and a pipe in his mouth. “You said it, Macao. We’ll teach these kids a lesson, though. One last fight, for old time’s sake before we all go our separate ways.”

Chuckling, a girl with dark brown hair fanned out a few cards in her hand. “Sounds good to me. Maybe if you’re lucky, I’ll buy you a drink later to celebrate our victory.”

As she moved, Wendy spotted the mark visible on her chest. It made her eyes widen, and she stumbled forward to try and talk. “Wait! I’m sorry, but are you…members of Fairy Tail?”

Someone stepped forward. A girl with long white hair and a dark red dress frowned at her. “Not anymore. I’m sorry…but Fairy Tail doesn’t exist anymore. The Council…” Glancing back at her friends, the girl seemed to bite her lip. A few turned away from her gaze, while one girl with light blue hair seemed to be fighting back tears. Wendy stared at them with a frown, uncertain of what to do with this.

“That’s…that’s horrible. All of you…you should be able to stay together, because you’re all family.” Wendy closed her eyes, clenching her hands tightly together and pressing them to her chest. She didn’t want to let this happen to Fairy Tail, but she couldn’t fight against the entire Council. She just didn’t have that kind of power.

Behind her, Lucy stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. “She’s right. I may not know much about any of you, but I’ve heard your stories. Fairy Tail is a legendary guild, known for being crazy at times, but loving each other all the same. That was the guild I respected…the guild I dreamed of joining one day. The guild I heard so much about wouldn’t care about something like this! They wouldn’t let the Council tell them what to do, not if it wasn’t what they thought was right. Fairy Tail breaks the rules when necessary, and they always stick together.” Lucy was passionate as she spoke, her voice getting louder as she leaned towards the gathered group of wizards.

“You can’t be serious…” The blue haired girl was staring at her with wide eyes. “I didn’t realize there were still people out there…dreaming of joining our guild. However, what you are asking for…it is just too much. How do you expect anyone to fight against the power of the Magic Council? No one is stronger than them, especially with the wizard saints under their control.”

By her side, another white haired girl nodded. Her hair was far shorter than the other girl’s, and her eyes were the same shade of blue. “Not to mention our Master…” She bit her lip and covered her mouth with her hand. There was something broken in that voice, and it made Wendy stand straighter and frown.

“Something happened to him? Oh no…I knew we should have stayed! Charle, I told you before that I thought I saw the rune knights surrounding that place. Why…why didn’t you let me…” Tears began to form in her eyes, as she realized it was all her fault. If she had fought harder, and stayed with them, she could have protected her friends. Maybe she wasn’t strong, but one more wizard could have meant the difference between staying and being captured. “This is all my fault…I could have helped…he was my friend, and I just ran away…”

“Don’t cry, Goddess Wendy!” Marco rushed forward, patting her back gently. It didn’t help much, especially not when the others joined him.

“We shall find whoever is responsible, and punish them for their misdeeds! No one makes our Goddess cry!”

“Alright, what’s the plan then, Boss?”

“Simple, this Charle person forced Wendy to flee when she could have succeeded in a glorious battle against evil…it is—“

“Enough!” Wendy shouted at them all, breaking free from them and turning around with hardened eyes. “Charle isn’t the enemy! I told you before…it is my fault. Don’t blame Charle…she’s my friend, too. She only wanted to protect me, and I can’t blame her for that. You three…you’ve all been so good to me, too. I can’t drag you any further into my problems…not when you are all doing so well.”

“Are you saying….are you no longer going to be our Goddess?” Gocche looked shocked, almost heartbroken at the prospect.

Smiling at him through her tears, Wendy shook her head. “Not at all…I’m only saying that maybe you guys can do some good deeds on your own…without me there. If you ever need help, you can come find me, but I know that you three can take care of yourselves now.” 

This time, the leader did begin crying massively, sniffling after a moment. “Our Goddess is such a saint! Oh, how her trust warms my heart! Lackeys—,er no, comrades! Let us be off, in search of villainous evil-doers to take down with our knowledge of their scoundrel-like ways! We shall become heroes!” With that, the three took of running into the forest, while Wendy shook her head and sighed, turning back towards Fairy Tail.

“Okay…I think I’m ready to hear it now. What happened to Z—er, Spriggan?” Wendy just caught herself from saying Zeref, when she realized Lucy still didn’t know who he was.

From amongst the crowd, Wendy saw a familiar face shove his way forward. Spiky blond hair and a coat half-thrown over his shoulders were a dead-giveaway for Laxus, the wizard Zeref had been with when she first met Zeref. “Now I figured out who you were. Didn’t expect to see you again, kid. So tell me, just why the hell do you think we should trust you? I get that our Master may have told you a few things about himself, but that was for the purpose of helping the First and nothing more.” He crossed his arms over his chest, not allowing anyone else to speak as he glared at Wendy.

Glancing towards the ground, Wendy began playing with her fingers in front of her chest. She didn’t really know what to say. “Um…I don’t…I wasn’t strong enough to help her.” At least that would give them something. “But…I came here to help him. He told me I could join your guild, and that’s all I want to do…but then the attack happened…and then he was taken, and Charle wouldn’t let me…” Trailing off, Wendy took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

“Not strong, huh? Well, I could have told Master that a long time ago, but the idiot refused to listen to me.” Crouching down, Laxus made sure he was low enough to look Wendy in the eyes. “Now, he’s been sentenced to death, because someone told the Council who he was. Got any ideas as to where they could have heard, kid? Because if you ask me, there’s only one person outside of our guild that ever got even close to learning who he was.”

Silence seemed to fill the forest, while everyone watched him with tension in their shoulders. Behind Wendy, Lucy stepped forward. With a glare on her face, the blond slapped Laxus across the face. The boy blinked at her in shock, though he hardly even flinched from her actions. Lucy was scowling, her hands clenched into fists by her sides. “How dare you? After everything she’s done…Wendy is only a little girl! You don’t even know her, yet you are blaming her for your own problems!”

That made the lightning dragon slayer snort, shaking his head. “Yeah, well in this case, it is her fault.”

“I know Wendy, even if we only met recently. She’s a sweet girl, and she cares about her friends. She wouldn’t even tell me that she was looking for Fairy Tail, because she was afraid of how I’d react! I had to ask the cat for answers, and even then, Wendy tried to stop Charle from telling me a thing.” Glancing towards the two of them, Lucy gave them a small smile. “We both figured out that we want the same thing, in a way. Fairy Tail is going to be our home…and I don’t care if I have to deal with pigheaded idiots like you to get there. I’ll show you firsthand that I can be a powerful wizard too, if that’s what it takes to show you that Fairy Tail isn’t ready to give up just yet.”

It seemed like she had gotten off-topic, but Wendy smiled gratefully at her just the same. “Lucy…” She didn’t really have words to express how happy she felt. No one really was so kind to her, except for Charle. Her friendships were always brief, with how much traveling she did. The longest one had been with Jellal, and even he had to leave her, just like Grandeeney had done so long ago. 

Seeing that Laxus was staring at her half-stunned into silence, the blue haired girl from behind them stepped forward as well. “You know, that isn’t entirely true. Back in Clover, there were plenty of people who figured out who our Master was. One of them in particular stands out as someone who’d want revenge…the guild master of Phantom Lord.”

That made Laxus sigh, as he shook his head with a grimace. “Whatever, this isn’t worth my time anyway. Tell these chicks whatever you want, just don’t come crying to me when Master wants to strangle you all.” He waved them off, rejoining another smaller group within the guild. They seemed to stick to themselves, but Wendy was at least happy to see that he didn’t act entirely alone.

Holding her hand out towards them, the blue haired wizard smiled. “I think we got off on the wrong foot. I’m Levy, and it’s nice to meet you. I didn’t realize Master had found a new friend on his most recent mission…it’s good to hear that he has someone willing to help him, even if you aren’t a member of the guild.”

Taking her hand, Wendy slowly smiled and nodded. “Of course. Is…is he really supposed to be executed?” Her smile faded quickly, worrying over what that could mean.

The other members looked grave, sharing looks amongst themselves. “Only a real man can handle a punishment like that! Our Master is one of the best!” The shout came from a man with a deep voice, making Wendy bite her lip slightly. However, there was a slight shakiness to the tone, making Wendy realize that this was the man’s way of hiding his pain, to some degree.

“We have to stop them! With his curse—“ Wendy broke off, blinking as her gaze flashed towards Lucy.

The celestial mage blinked in return, leaning back slightly. “Wait, did you say curse? What is going on with your guild? First, you start becoming a dark guild, and now you have a cursed Master? Something just doesn’t sound right to me…” She trailed off, frowning as she studied them.

Sighing, Wendy grabbed her arm and shook her head. “It isn’t our place to tell, Lucy. I’m sorry…but it really is for the best.”

With a slight smile, Mira stepped forward as well. “If he trusted you enough to share that with you, then I think we all should trust you too. I am Mira, and I guess I’m kind of like his secretary around the guild. I do all of the paperwork for him, and help keep things organized around Fairy Tail.” She shook Wendy’s hand, before gazing out over the other wizards. “As such…I really don’t think we’re ready for a mission like that. All of us were only just released…our magic is low, after being restrained for so long in those cells. We need an actual plan, if we want to free our Master from Era.”

A short old man walked out from amongst them, nodding in agreement. “Indeed. It is pure foolishness to break into the Magic Council’s headquarters without a plan. I won’t allow you children to recklessly throw away your lives, not when our Master would be free if it was his desire.”

“Hold on…just how powerful is this master of yours?” Lucy looked a bit fearful now, uncertain as she leaned away from them.

A boy with dark black hair smirked at her, shirtless as he crossed his arms over his chest. “He’s the best there is. No one can beat him, unless he wants to lose. I think the old man may have a point with this one.”

Raising an eyebrow, Makarov shook his head slightly. “I wouldn’t go that far…but he does have connections even deeply rooted within the Council itself. If he wanted to get free, he could have sent out a message for someone to come for him. Not even they could fight back against….the wizards from his home.” The old man seemed to eye Lucy closely for a moment, hesitating before finishing his comment.

Understanding who was meant, Wendy nodded. “I see. Maybe…maybe this is a part of his plan. He told me he had to do something dangerous if he wanted to help Mavis again…but I don’t get how being arrested is even remotely related to…” Wendy trailed off, yet again not willing to say too much in front of Lucy.

“Tell you what, why don’t we go back to the guild and get this all figured out? I think Makarov has a point about Master, and it’s not like we’re getting anywhere just by standing around out here. Freed, do you think you could buy us some time before the Council finds us again?” Mira glanced towards someone standing around Laxus for an answer.

Nodding, he stood stoically in response. “Of course. Though, based on our capture, there is an enchantment user within the Rune Knights. I can’t say how long it will take for them to rewrite my magic.”

“Either way, it’s the best plan we’ve got.” Cana spoke this time, smirking towards the others. “Besides, we’re getting some more manpower for this mission. Sounds like Master found us some good new recruits this time, and if it means sticking together a little longer, I’m all for having a little party to celebrate.”

With that, Lucy and Wendy both realized that they were already welcome among this group. After all the effort they put into coming here, even if they hadn’t been the ones to free them from their prison, they proved that they were willing to do almost anything to be a part of this guild. All Fairy Tail needed was a little push to see that there was still hope, and that their master could be freed.


	74. Running from the Past

“…after that, we all came back here to try and make plans to free you. We never really finished them, though.” Wendy finished telling her tale, while Zeref listened quietly throughout the entire thing. From the sounds of it, Lucy really had tried to do a lot to keep the guild together, in her own way. She was willing to fight, but her words alone had been enough to inspire the guild. There was something about the girl that fit with the rest, but Zeref still didn’t feel right letting her in.

Glancing towards Lucy, Zeref frowned. “So, she still does not know who I truly am.” Wendy nodded, biting her lip.

“I didn’t think you’d want her to know…you said it was your greatest secret, and it seemed like you were even afraid of telling me the truth before all of this started.” Wendy was watching him carefully, as was Lucy. The celestial wizard was frowning in confusion, taking a seat next to Zeref.

Staring at Zeref, Lucy snorted slightly. “It’s not like he’s that bad. I mean, I already watched him try to kill himself, and I know he’s the leader of a dark guild. How much worse can it get?”

Oh, Zeref knew just how bad it could get. Closing his eyes, Zeref stared at the counter in front of him. “You shouldn’t be here, Lucy. There are many things I am responsible for, and I am far from a good person. While Fairy Tail might be a place where you’d belong, there is nothing I can do to make up for my past actions, and nothing can change what you’ve suffered through as a result.”

People stared at him with frowns, uncertain as to what he was hinting at. Natsu and Lahar watched from behind Zeref, though the dragon slayer stepped closer at his words. “Don’t get all worked up over that crap, Zeref. I mean, you didn’t do anything to Lucy personally, so that means all this stuff is in the past. Igneel always told me to just keep looking forward to the future if I got upset, and that’s exactly what you should be doing now.”

Looking forward to the future meant focusing on Siegrain’s tower. The R-System had so much potential, and Zeref’s hands tightened into fists as he considered just how to take control over the one the council member had created. This could mean the start of another battle, one which he would be a fighter in. No one else could alter the spell to heal Mavis, rather than resurrect the dead. “When you see little but death in your future, it isn’t the best thing to consider, Natsu.” The dragon slayer snorted, shaking his head.

“You’ve gotta start looking at the positive side of things. Weren’t we just talking about saving Mavis? Why don’t you try thinking about seeing her again, rather than whatever plans you have in mind that might hurt people?” It was a suggestion that could lead to disaster. Closing his eyes, Zeref shook his head and focused on Lucy once more.

The girl’s brown eyes were soft, with a slight frown on her face as her brows drew together. “Is that really all you can see? That’s just…sad. Even after I lost my mother, I could still see a path to happiness in my future. I still had my friends, my spirits, by my side, and the servants were always there to talk with at home.” Lucy turned away from Zeref, staring at her hands in her lap. “Sadness is a part of life, but so long as we focus on the good parts, it becomes bearable. I think you should listen to your friend, it might help you avoid jumping out of trains in the future.”

His hand had been clenching tighter with every word she spoke. Lucy did not know of his past, of his connection to her family. It seemed like revealing some of it was the only way to dissuade her. “Your mother…she passed away seven years ago, did she not?”

Zeref didn’t even glance at Lucy as he spoke. The girl sat up straighter, blinking in surprise at the nearly monotone voice Zeref used. “I…yeah, I guess. It doesn’t seem like so much time has passed, though. I never really stop missing her.”

Nodding, Zeref glanced towards Natsu. “I understand the feeling. I went to extreme lengths for my family at one point in time…and even further lengths to try and do the right thing. Every time I try and help the world, however, that aid backfires and becomes cruel and vicious to those around me.” His gaze focused on Lucy, watching the girl frown in confusion. “In the end, I suppose you could say I am responsible for her death.”

Her brown eyes grew wide, a slight gasp coming from her mouth. The rest of the room was silent, watching her carefully as Lucy stared at Zeref in silence for a few moments. After a moment, she slowly began to shake her head. “That…she died of ill-health. You couldn’t possibly be the one who…” Lucy trailed off, her voice shaky and uncertain.

Smiling darkly, Zeref turned to gaze into her eyes. “Magic-Deficiency Disease, when untreated, can cause death. It appears as if your family’s physician was unaware of her true condition.” There was no kindness in his voice, only a calm statement of fact. When he was trying to warn others away, he could not afford to let his sympathy show.

Tears pooled in her eyes as she shook her head a bit quicker now. Lucy rose to her feet, stumbling back slightly into Natsu. The dragon slayer caught her, his gaze narrowed towards Zeref. “Why the hell didn’t you mention something like this before? What did you do?”

Gazing into Natsu’s eyes, Zeref frowned and narrowed his gaze. “What had to be done. I told you the truth before, Natsu, you simply don’t realize how it relates to this situation.” He couldn’t say much more with Wendy present. Lahar frowned at his words too, glancing between them before his eyes widened.

“Impossible…are you saying that…celestial magic has the power to—“

Zeref cut Lahar off, glaring at him harshly. “Yes, though it requires an immense amount of magic, an amount of magic that Layla nearly did not possess. It drove her to the brink of death, and without treatment, she ultimately perished from casting the spell I designed.” His gaze flickered towards Lucy, who was breathing hard with her hand pressed over her chest. “If I had not enlisted the Heartfilia family to aid me in my task, Layla would still be alive. Her death is on my hands, and as such, I do not think a single member of your family would feel welcome in my presence.”

Yet again, Zeref wondered just how open he was going to become with his past. This was far more than he had originally intended on saying, but part of him felt as if she deserved to hear more. Natsu’s insistence on relating more to others truly was affecting him, Zeref noted. He had to make sure he kept it in check, before he started revealing too many secrets to the world. “She died…from casting a spell?” Lucy just sounded like she was in shock now.

Nodding mutely, Zeref turned around and faced Mira behind the counter. The blue eyed girl was frowning, looking concerned as she gazed towards Lucy. “Master…you do realize that this doesn’t necessarily mean she can’t join. After all, Gray remained a member even after learning about your connection to Deliora.” He shrugged at her words, aware that it was still Lucy’s choice. He simply didn’t want her to learn later on that he was responsible for so much tragedy within her family.

Even Wendy looked concerned, rising to her feet and gently grabbing Lucy’s hand. “Listen…I know Spriggan, and I know you. He isn’t…Spriggan didn’t want to hurt your mother, I promise you. He likes to blame himself for everything that goes wrong in the world, and it isn’t always his fault. Your mother had to be a wonderful person, because you are wonderful too. I miss Grandeeney all the time, so I know how it feels…but even I don’t blame Spriggan for her disappearance, despite the fact that he knows where she is now.” Wendy glanced towards the black wizard, who sighed and shook his head. It seemed as if his attempts at portraying himself as the villain were failing, because of someone who saw something good in him.

The celestial wizard gazed down at Wendy, biting her lip as she took in shaky, deep breaths. “Your mother was just trying to help, I know she was. He didn’t force her to do anything…and if she died doing the right thing, then hating Spriggan isn’t the best way to honor her memory. She would want you to forgive him…since Spriggan only wanted to do the right thing for the world. Sometimes, when you try to help others, people get hurt anyway. That doesn’t mean you should stop trying, nor does it mean it’s your fault people are hurt…it just means that bad things still happen, and it is beyond our control.” Her words seemed to be calming Lucy, who was slowly nodded and glancing back towards Zeref. “Spriggan may think it’s his fault, but in reality, it was no one’s fault. Plenty of people design spells, but they aren’t the ones responsible for what happens to people who use them.”

“You’re right.” Lucy wiped away a few tears still on her cheeks, before smiling weakly towards Zeref. “My mother died a long time ago, but I know she never once held a grudge against anyone, for anything. She wouldn’t want me hating people because of her, and I doubt she would have blamed anyone for her death, even if it was the result of using some spell.” Placing a hand on her hip, Lucy’s smile began to become closer to a smirk. “You’re going to have to try harder than that if you want to scare me away from your guild. I don’t care if you have some connection to my mother, this place is already beginning to feel like home to me, and these people have become my friends.”

Sighing, Zeref rose to his feet and stepped closer to her. He didn’t stop approaching until he was just inches away from the girl, gazing into her startled brown eyes. “As you wish. She didn’t willingly cast that spell, though. It was a task handed down for generations, as they all were waiting for the right time to activate it. If that time hadn’t come during her lifetime, the task would have fallen to you, Lucy. Simply put, I could have just as easily been responsible for your death as I was for hers.” The girl rolled her eyes, not even seeming to care. “As for the spell she used…it isn’t like most spells designed, where anyone can get their hands on the details and cast it themselves. I am the only living being who knows how to utilize it, now that Layla is gone. It is not a simple spell, and recreating it would take years.”

Those words still didn’t seem to affect Lucy. Wendy really had made the girl think Zeref was blameless in Layla’s death, but there was still something else that could scare her away. He had hoped to do so without revealing this, though. “I see that even that cannot convince you, however. Perhaps…perhaps you’d run, if you knew who I was. This guild may be a bright and open place for wizards, but I am the opposite of my guild. I am feared by the world, despised by many, and worshipped by others. I am Zeref Dragneel, the Black Wizard, and I have killed plenty with my own hands. Just because Layla was killed indirectly by me does not make me an innocent, Lucy Heartfilia. Plenty have died simply for knowing who I am.”

She stared at him with wide eyes, sucking in a sharp breath. “The Black Wizard? But you’re supposed to be…you died centuries ago!”

Chuckling, Zeref shook his head. “History rarely speaks the truth. Books tell tales that the victor’s want heard, and those that seek to research the past are merely taking guesses as to what truthfully occurred. The only grain of truth in the history spoken of me exists in the dark portrayal of my actions. I have created demons, and I have waged wars against the world for no purpose beyond seeking death.” He did not see the reason to explain exactly whose death he was seeking. “I suppose you could say I’ve died in the past…if you label dying as receiving a fatal wound. However, I am immortal, unaging and untouched by time. Any wound, even fatal ones, ultimately heal from my body and leave nothing behind to tell the tale of what may have occurred.”

“Stop it, Zeref, you’re starting to sound like…like Edo-Mavis.” Natsu grabbed his arm, making him blink for a second. Zeref ran a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath. “I get that you don’t want to hurt others. Pushing Lucy away isn’t going to help her, not when she just wants to find a home and make friends. Is there really something so wrong about letting her be a part of Fairy Tail?”

Glancing towards Lucy, Zeref took a deep breath and closed his eyes. In reality, Natsu should have been correct. Her personality fit well, and she did have powerful magic. However, she was also a reminder to Zeref of things he wished to let go of. Her very presence reminded him of the fact that even if he tried to help the world, he only stole more life away from others. “She is like you.” Zeref stated quietly to Natsu, his gaze turning towards the boy. It was an odd realization, one that made the dragon slayer frown in confusion. “Both of you remind me of my past…of a past I’d rather forget. Lucy can join if she wishes, but for now, I have other work to attend to. If you need me, I’ll be in the library, contacting Irene for assistance.” With that, he pushed past them all, rushing towards the hall to head upstairs. He wanted to be alone right now, where his guilt would stop eating away at his heart. Zeref knew it would never completely vanish, but so long as he focused on working on some task, he could pretend that his dark past was nothing but a horrible dream that could not reach him anymore.


	75. Meeting of Monsters

Contacting Irene had been simple. Zeref kept communication lacrimas around so he could be updated about any emergencies occurring within Alvarez if needed. As a result, the Spriggan Twelve had to do the same. After a brief conversation, she was on her way to Fairy Tail in order to help with his task. Granted, he wasn’t sure how pleased she was about that fact. He still had yet to inform Irene about one of the members in his guild. She would not be pleased to see her daughter again, but it was a problem to deal with at another time.

As Zeref waited, he decided it would be a good time to simply rest in the library. He could gather his team later for the journey. Really, the only necessary people would be Wendy and Irene, and perhaps Lahar for navigation. Anyone else could stay behind, though he still considered adding a few others to help in the event of resistance from those in control of the tower. Natsu would be a good choice for that, but Zeref had been getting too close to the boy lately. Despite the control he had thus far, Zeref knew his brother’s life would be at risk from a journey like this with him. It made him wonder if perhaps he should select another fighter from within the guild instead, but that left him with more indecisiveness. Plenty of wizards were talented and able to fight, but he did not know which to choose. Erza would be an option, but with Irene, he shied away from using her. Gray was also skilled, but Zeref was aware that there was often tension between himself and the ice-wizard. Despite the forgiveness he seemed to have earned, Zeref still felt guilt over the deaths of Gray’s family members.

Technically, he could simply use Irene for battle. If he removed the enchantment keeping her in her human form, no one would stand a chance against her. However, much like Erza, it would anger Irene to no end. She really was the most difficult of his Spriggan Twelve to work with, but she was also the one who related most to Zeref’s issues in a way. No one else alive could compete with him in terms of age, and due to her now dragon-like body, Irene gained an incredibly long lifespan. While Zeref was still older, it was only by a few years, rather than centuries like he was compared to others. She understood the pain of losing friends over the years, and she understood what it was like to live in an unchanging body, untouched by time.

As a result, he did his best to manage her anger to some degree. Helping her was a strange task, since it was so difficult to determine exactly what Irene wanted. However, so long as she remained loyal to him, he would do his best to attempt and ease some of her suffering. Therefore, using her dragon form for combat was not an option. Irene’s other spells could be useful in some form, but they weren’t direct attacks unlike most dragon slaying magic. Her enchantments were stronger than any other, but they affected the world around her, rather than directly attacking her opponent. Some of her creations could be useful, but Zeref didn’t want to entirely rely on Irene’s strength in this mission.

As Zeref began to think about other guild members, footsteps faintly echoed throughout the library. He was considering Laxus, despite the fact that taking him would mean taking along the entire Thunder Legion. It was more people than he desired, but there wasn’t really a better fighter than him. Gildarts might compete for that spot, but he was still away on some mission, and Zeref didn’t want to risk destroying the tower he needed to use. Makarov wouldn’t even consider the mission, not when he would likely be able to see that the R-System’s use would not come without a price.

“There you are. You know, you keep freaking everyone out by doing this, Zeref.” Breaking free from his thoughts, Zeref frowned and glanced towards the wizard that had entered. With a green coat tugged on over an orange shirt and glasses on his face, Loke gazed calmly towards him. He leaned against a nearby wall, with his hands shoved into his pockets. “We understand that you’ve got problems, but sometimes, you have to learn to ask for help. Some problems…just can’t be fixed on your own.” His gaze looked distant, as if he was speaking about himself.

Loke had always been an odd member of the guild. Zeref remembered when he first joined, far more mysterious than Zeref had imagined he would be. It had been only a few years ago, actually. Zeref had been camping out in the forest, seeking solitude after a few members of the guild returned from a dangerous mission. Gray and Erza had both been strong, but they had been facing off against a wyvern on that mission, a job dangerous for any wizard. While they had survived, Gray had been dangerously injured and taken to a healer at once. Feeling worry for the boy, Zeref had no choice but to leave and wait until he calmed his mind. Otherwise, he would have killed Mavis’ guild at that moment, and no one wanted to see that.

Out among the trees, Zeref had been contemplating the best way to view Gray’s situation. The boy had been hurt long ago, and Zeref often tried to help improve his situation as much as possible. By providing him with research on the spell known as Iced Shell, Zeref hoped he could free the boy’s master. However, with each passing year, it became more clear that there wasn’t a method available to save her. Gray had gradually lost hope, and by that time, he had stopped searching for a method to save her. Instead, he focused on simply taking on new missions and spending time with his friends at the guild. Those days, Gray had stopped coming to Zeref for help. Actually, most of the guild had done the same. Recent years had been hard on him, as he lost hope of saving Mavis. With less hope, he distanced himself from others to avoid pain again. Losing friends, no matter how little they understood him, hurt just the same. Zeref didn’t want to suffer, so he had pulled away from the guild and become a far more distant master than he had been for most of his time in the guild.

With a light breeze making leaves fall onto his face, Zeref had shaken his head. The leaves fell off, onto the ground as he sat up slightly and froze. Before him was a boy, dressed in a formal suit with spiky orange hair. His eyes were wide, but reddened from tears. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you. I was just looking for a place to rest…where I wouldn’t be foolish enough to hurt anyone again.” He sounded so lost, gazing down at his palms as he sat down in the grass.

Gazing at him, Zeref found his words intriguing. “You…hurt someone?” The boy didn’t reply, glancing away with a frown. Sighing, Zeref shook his head. “It isn’t often that I encounter others when I’m out here. There are few reasons to come to these woods. What is your reason?”

This time, the boy glanced towards Zeref warily. “I deserve to suffer, to be punished. I can’t be around others, I don’t deserve their company.” 

Raising an eyebrow, Zeref stood up and gazed towards the sky. “So, you seek isolation. I am sorry to inform you, but there is no place in this world where true isolation exists. Always, we are surrounded by some form of creature, be it human, plant, or animal. Always, there are ways to harm any of these creatures, and the guilt that follows is everyone’s burden to bear.” 

His words seemed to make the man pause, frowning as he stared over at Zeref. “I don’t care if I harm this forest! Plants are not human beings, they don’t think and feel like—“ the boy broke off, taking a deep breath and running a hand through his hair. Tears were in his eyes, looking so lost. It was a feeling Zeref was familiar with, the feeling of desperation that came just after taking a life. Usually, shock is the first emotion that comes after killing. Disbelief that someone could actually be dead comes with it. Afterwords, if enough guilt is felt, desperation would come. A deep desire to bring back the one lost would follow, and it was a feeling Zeref had learned to ignore after following that desire the first time he had experienced the feeling.

Kneeling down, Zeref plucked a handful of grass from the ground and frowned. “These plants don’t feel?” He gazed towards the boy, who blinked at him with a frown. “I suppose you may be correct…but there is nothing to prove your words. A life is a life, regardless of what form it takes. Just now, I’ve taken approximately twenty-three lives, by plucking a simple handful of weeds from the ground. Do I deserve punishment as well? Should I find a way to isolate myself from the world?”

Unclenching his hand, Zeref let the strands of grass fall from his grip to the ground. They got caught on the breeze, flying a bit towards the trees around them. “I…you aren’t a monster, not like me. Killing plants…it happens all the time. Florists do it for a living, and simply walking would be a crime by that logic. I killed, by trying to protect a friend. I’ve lost everything…all to try and prove a simple point.”

This boy was far more like him than he realized, and it made Zeref frown. He was so alone lately, more so than usual. The guild didn’t relate to him, and he avoided speaking to the wizards within. His few conversations with the members had begun to fade away, no longer interesting enough to hold his attention. Repetition made his life boring, and it made things feel unimportant within the sea of memories contained in his mind. However, the potential loss of wizards had brought back a brief feeling of care for the guild. This boy was on the brink of despair, just as he had been when he lost Mavis. Someone had to guide him back, and perhaps Zeref had a way of showing him just what he could do.

Taking a step back, Zeref closed his eyes and let his head fall to his chest. Barely visible, a dark smile was on his face. “Is that so? I am not a monster…I am not a murderer….how amusing, to hear these words. Tell me, just who are you, to label me as such?” 

The boy hesitated, looking away and rubbing the back of his head. Zeref knew the look of a man seeking to hide himself, but he would allow the lie for now. There was only so far he could push the man, when he was so close to shattering. “L-Loke. Call me Loke.” The stutter was not missed, but Zeref didn’t comment.

“Loke…a fitting name, for a lost soul. You are not alone in this world, Loke, and you do have a place amongst people. If you let me show you, I can grant you a place to find peace once more.” It was an offering, one that made Loke shoot up to his feet.

“No! I told you, I deserve to suffer out here, like this.” 

Tilting his head slightly, Zeref took a deep breath and took yet another step back. “You do not understand true suffering. You’ve killed once…taken the life of a single friend. I have lost count of how many I’ve slain…of how many people I’ve had to watch die before my very eyes.” Loke seemed to stiffen, staring at Zeref with wide eyes. To prove his point, Zeref took a deep breath and lifted his arms over his head. Maybe it was best to let his power unleash itself, just for a moment to regain his control. All of his pain, all of his caring, he would let go of it in this one blast. Dark magic swirled around him and unleashed itself on the forest around them. It swallowed the plants and trees, edging closer to Loke, who stumbled back. The boy tripped over a tree root, falling onto his back and staring at the magic with wide eyes. It stopped just before hitting him, but when it began to fade away, Loke couldn’t tear his eyes away from Zeref.

A single tear fell from Zeref’s eye, as he took in a steadying breath. This boy could grow strong, and he would strengthen the guild. Maybe one day, he could come up with an idea that could help Mavis. Either way, there was benefit to letting him join. However, there was no benefit to valuing his life. “This is my existence, my greatest secret. Tell me, Loke, do you think you feel more guilt than I?” The boy shook his head, gazing over the death that now surrounded the black wizard. “Despite my existence…despite the things I do, I’ve found a way to move forward. I have a place that can help you do the same…and if you still wish to be punished, I have the power necessary to end your suffering entirely, and allow you to rest in peace.”

After that, Zeref had taken Loke to the guild. He quickly became friends with Gray, and Zeref saw the boy begin to hide behind false smiles and flirtatious jokes. This, however, was the first time Zeref saw Loke as serious as he had been that night when he joined the guild. Loke was telling him to find help, but Zeref refused to open up to anyone. In the library, he sighed and shook the memories from his head. “I keep to myself for good reasons, Loke. You understand that better than the others, as you do the same thing.”

The boy nodded, glancing away. “I wouldn’t be here, if it wasn’t for you. Likely, I would have still found myself in that damn forest. Back then, I realized I needed help, Zeref. I turned to you, since only a monster could relate to the things I had done. Now, I at least…have friends, and a place to return to. It’s better than it could have been. You could learn the same lesson too.”

Closing his eyes, Zeref sighed. “If you were me, would you truly seek out friendship? If every time you valued life…that life ended, would you still try and see the joys in living?” They were odd questions, but it made Loke hesitate.

“I…I can’t say. If it were me, I don’t think I’d be able to stop myself from caring, actually. Cutting yourself off from the world, it just isn’t healthy for anyone.” He glanced towards Zeref. “Maybe you don’t have to find friends, Zeref, but you should at least find…allies. Learn to trust others, because we won’t be able to help you as much without understanding what is going on.”

Nodding, Zeref ran a hand through his hair. He still needed help, and right now, he found that there was a familiar face relating to him yet again. “I see. Loke, how would you feel about joining me on a mission? I have a new idea in mind…a dangerous plan that just may save Mavis.”

Giving him a slight grin, Loke stepped forward from the wall. “Do you even have to ask? I’m always in…but before we go, there’s probably something you should know.” Loke hesitated for a moment, glancing back towards the exit. “The others didn’t want to worry you so soon after you got back…but Erza went on a mission a while ago…not long after we were released from Era, actually. She still hasn’t come back. Something’s happened to her, and if we don’t hurry, it may be too late to help.”


	76. The Chosen Sacrifice

Rushing back downstairs, Zeref began thinking about just what could have taken the requip wizard down. She was a fierce wizard, and the daughter of Irene. Few could actually stand a chance against her in battle, so it had to have been a powerful foe. After speaking a moment longer with Loke, he learned that the job had been to steal money away from a casino that had left someone in town stuck on a losing streak. Feeling like the casino deserved it, they offered the guild half of the amount taken from the casino, so long as the mission was successful.

A simple theft would only result in battle with usual guards. The casino had been part of a resort town, but even then, there would be no wizards guarding the place. Most of the guards would be non-wizards, armed with usual weapons to fend off mild threats. Backup was called in if the threat proved to be greater than expected, but Erza could have gotten away before backup arrived. That meant that somehow, this was planned. Going to Mira, Zeref scowled and leaned over the counter.

“Erza’s job, who gave it to us?” He didn’t allow for any negotiation, nor did he bother explaining how he knew about her disappearance.

Mira glanced towards Loke, who was standing behind Zeref with a frown. “Oh…that job. I didn’t really think much of it, to be honest. We get all kinds of strange requests from Oshibana, so it didn’t surprise me that someone wanted a robbery done. A few members are getting used to being criminals, so I saw no harm in posting the request on the board…” She trailed off, while Zeref continued waiting patiently for his answer. 

“The guy who gave it to me…he had blond hair, almost the same shade as Lucy’s, but styled a lot like Loke’s hair is.” Mira frowned, tapping her chin gently. “He was very tan, with black eyes and his left ear was pierced. Oh, and he also had a strange tattoo on his chin…it looked kind of like an S…or maybe it was a snake….” She trailed off, trying to think of more details. 

The description wasn’t much to go off of. Trying to recall anything Erza told him, Zeref wondered if the man was someone she knew. Her past was something she never shared with the guild. At first, she hadn’t even spoken to the members, choosing to take solo jobs and avoid others as a child. In fact, she was one of the few members that Zeref hadn’t invited to join the guild. She came to him, demanding to join. When she mentioned the name Rob to him, he knew that she had gone through much. Rob had been on a mission to investigate an occult group of wizards, and he never returned. Based on Erza’s injured eye and ragged clothes, he was certain that she knew what had happened.

Rob had never been a popular wizard from Fairy Tail. His strength had been average, and with his older age, he never took on missions that got the attention of the media. The job to investigate the occult group had not been meant to involve fighting. He was simply supposed to gather information, so that the Council could create a more detailed infiltration job for wizards to take. With how little they had heard thus far about the group, they had been willing to let anyone try and learn something from them. Seeing the need for help, Rob had gladly taken up the job and vanished, leaving an empty spot in the guild’s halls.

Fairy Tail moved on, and while Rob was not mentioned around the halls, he was not forgotten. When Erza spoke his name, it had been the first time in years that Zeref had heard mention of him. Seeing the look on her face, he had no doubt that Rob was dead. Without questioning her desire, Zeref had let her join simply for what she had been through. Likely, she was the only person who knew anything about that occult group, and the only one who could finish Rob’s final job.

Zeref had taken Erza aside, into his office of the guild hall. The young girl had seemed uncomfortable, but strong-willed as she stared him in the eye. “If you want to know about Rob, he’s…dead.” She had hesitated for a moment, but the only sign of her pain was shown with her fisted hands.

The child had gone through much, and Zeref felt as if she reminded him of himself when he was young. “That was not what I wished to ask about. Tell me, do you know about the occult group of wizards, rumored to be searching for the power of the legendary black wizard? Rob was supposed to be looking into their actions, but he vanished without a trace on his mission.”

Blinking, Erza frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. “The only reason I’m here…is because Grandpa Rob told me about this place. If it wasn’t for him….” She broke her words off, grimacing and glancing away. “I don’t have much to say…but I can tell you to stay away from them. They forced me to work…along with my friends…and now, I can’t even get help for them. The group you are looking for is gone…but their work still lives on. He told me…he told me he’d kill them, if I spoke of his plans.”

Unfortunately, that had been the only information Erza would give him. In the guild hall, Zeref folded his hands together and frowned. His black eyes stared into the wooden counter underneath his hands. The dark brown was marred with black lines streaking through it, creating patterns that Zeref’s eyes followed lazily. Someone had taken her, and likely, it was someone who knew her. Outside of Fairy Tail, that consisted of people who gave out jobs, and people from her hidden past. There was someone she was afraid of from then, someone who he assumed had managed to take out a large group of dark wizards looking into his own power.

That thought made him pause, leaning back. A group of wizards that had been looking into his magic, nearly seven years ago, and their work was still continued on. Based on the fact that slave labor had been used to work on whatever their task had been, Zeref assumed the project had been large. There were only two spells in his past that would require actual physical labor to recreate. One was the Eclipse Gate, but he doubted anyone would have use for that now. Most people did not have the patience required for the gate to function properly. That left him with only one other spell that was worked on so long ago, the R-System.

Zeref’s arms crossed over his chest, gazing darkly at the counter. Lahar would know more about the existing towers, but Zeref had a feeling he already knew who was responsible. He had seen Erza act distant after delivering some small report to the Council before. She seemed to dislike being sent to Era for any reason, actually, and there was only one answer he had in mind for her reactions. 

Turning towards the rune knight, Zeref spotted the man sitting awkwardly in the corner of the guild. Cana was leaning towards him, looking like she was interrogating the poor man. Rising to his feet, Zeref ignored Mira calling out for him as he moved towards Lahar instead. “So, are ya turning us in or not? Come on, I’ll give you a drink if you tell me! No, better yet, you have to keep us hidden, if I can manage to drink more than you, Lahar.” She smirked confidently, while Zeref scowled and pulled her back.

“Stop tormenting him, Cana. He is meant to be observing me, not the guild.” With that, the girl blinked and snorted, waving him off and moving back towards the guild.

“Whatever. I’m off to find better company. Maybe your boyfriend will have fun drinking with me instead.” She said it in a teasing tone, but it made Zeref scowl in irritation.

“Natsu is my brother, I highly doubt any romantic actions will ever occur between the two of us, despite the comments you and Mira seem to make endlessly.” That made the girl pause, before the brunette threw her head back in laughter.

“Sure, and I’m Makarov’s mother! I’ll see you around, Master, don’t lose that humor of yours on whatever mission you’ve taken now.” She waved him off, seeing his comment as a joke as she ventured into the guild hall. Sighing, Zeref shook his head and focused back on Lahar instead.

Behind him, Loke raised an eyebrow but didn’t question what Zeref had stated. Instead, Zeref focused on Lahar who seemed to look a bit distressed from his time here. “You mentioned before that you had heard of the R-System within the Council. Tell me, what do they know?”

His voice was cold and harsh, and it made Lahar frown and stiffen slightly. For a moment, the rune knight’s gaze studied Zeref closely, before he sighed and closed his eyes. “I can’t say much, I wasn’t a part of most of those missions back then. I was just a new recruit, and scouting missions were reserved for those of a higher rank than me. From what I gathered, the Council found about five occurrences of the R-System around the world. Each time they found a tower, they’d destroy it. Beyond that, I don’t know much about it.”

Narrowing his gaze, Zeref took a seat next to him to make his eyes level with Lahar’s. “All of them were destroyed? Are you absolutely certain that there was not a tower left alone?”

Taking a sip of some drink on the table, Lahar shrugged. “Like I said, I wasn’t a part of those missions. However, they were all labeled as successful. Beyond the tower that has most recently appeared…I’d say that the others have all been destroyed by the Council.”

Nodding, Zeref rose to his feet with a scowl. “I see. Then it seems as if my plans must be hurried along…where is Wendy?” He felt a hand grab his arm, making him turn back to see Loke frowning at him.

“Master…are you really forgetting my advice so quickly?” He looked troubled, frowning as he gazed into Zeref’s black eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Zeref stopped and turned towards both of them. “I…of course not. I simply did not believe we had the time to explain.” He wasn’t sure of how Lahar would react to this, considering how strict the man still was in his adherence to the law. He had become slightly more lenient, but some things were too dark to be forgiven. “Based on what little I know of Erza’s past…she has likely been taken by the person responsible for creating the most recent version of the R-System. If they’ve taken her…then it means that it is nearing completion, if not already finished. Either that, or they are overconfident in their abilities to keep her contained.”

“Why would they need Erza for this spell?” Loke looked confused, along with Lahar who only frowned, pausing as he had lifted his cup to his mouth.

Scanning the room for Wendy, Zeref scowled. “A sacrifice is necessary to activate the spell. In essence, the caster will need a body to use to bind the soul to, using magic. Erza’s body is meant to serve as that vessel, and as such, she will perish if this individual succeeds.” 

Rising to his feet, Lahar narrowed his gaze. “Didn’t you say you were planning to use this spell?” He sounded cold and harsh, far more like the former rune knight captain Zeref was familiar with.

Nodding, Zeref frowned as he heard the guild doors open. “I have a plan in place to…work around the sacrifice, in a way. Since Mavis still has her body preserved, it can act as the sacrifice for the spell and the vessel for her resurrection…however, if Erza is already imbedded within the spell, things will become more complex. I had already planned for this possibility, though I did not plan for Erza being anywhere near this event…I simply hope she’ll still be willing to help, despite who it is she will be saving.”

Turning towards the newcomer, Zeref calmly observed the scarlet haired woman walking through the wizards of Fairy Tail. Members stared at her in shock, a few standing prepared to fight as she placed a hand on her hip and smirked at them. “Well, this is quite the welcome. And here I was, thinking my Emperor had invited me to this filthy place. Do I have the wrong address?”

Stepping forward, Zeref smiled and shook his head. “Not at all, Irene. However, matters have become more complicated…tell me, have you perfected your body switching enchantment just yet?”

Rolling her eyes, Irene snorted at his comment. “Do you still doubt my power, Your Majesty?” 

Smiling, Zeref shook his head. “Not in the slightest. I simply do not wish to have anything unaccounted for in our mission.” Gazing out amongst the guild, Zeref finally spotted Wendy. She was sitting at a table with Lucy and Lisanna, talking with a smile on her face. Moving towards her, Zeref grabbed her shoulder and startled the girl. She spun around, staring at Zeref with surprised eyes before relaxing and giving him a slight smile. “Tell me, are you ready to finish your promise to me? I have a new method to attempt to save Mavis…and I will possibly need your help to accomplish this goal.”

Glancing around, Wendy slowly rose to her feet and nodded. Moving towards the exit of the guild, Zeref expected things to go smoothly until he spotted Lahar standing in their way. “You…you plan on risking the lives of others, with this black magic of yours. Tell me, what form of justice is this? Are you guilty and deserving of punishment? Or are you a hero, fighting to save others? I can’t…I just don’t know…” Lahar seemed to war with himself over what to do, making Zeref smile slightly.

“Contradictions are quite difficult to deal with, aren’t they Captain?” Lahar nodded, fisting his hands together and taking a deep breath. 

Slowly, Lahar raised his gaze towards Zeref with a determined expression. “Regardless of the legality of your actions…I still cannot deny that I relate to your issues, Zeref. Therefore, there is only one thing for me to do. I cannot report back crimes that I have not witnessed…therefore, you will be going on this mission without me.”

He took a few stiff steps towards the side, allowing them to pass as he crossed his arms over his chest. Giving him a slight smile, Zeref nodded his thanks to the man. “Of course. Never once did I intend on forcing you to observe such a spell…it is not meant to become public knowledge, with how dangerous it can be.”

“Are we leaving, or are you going to stand around chatting all day?” Irene looked irritated, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’ve got better things I could be doing, you know.”

Shaking his head, Zeref sighed and followed after her. Wendy and Loke moved as well, sharing a look before turning towards Zeref. “Um…sorry to interrupt, but who is she?”

Glancing towards Wendy, Zeref smiled. “Wendy and Loke, this is Irene Belserion, a member of the Spriggan Twelve. She is a masterful enchantress…and also a dragon slayer.” He heard Wendy’s slight gasp of surprise. 

Smirking, Irene nodded in agreement. “Yep, and as such, there isn’t a power on earth that can stop me. I could even take down Acnologia by myself if I wanted to.” Zeref highly doubted that fact, but he wasn’t going to correct her. Irene was simply trying to hide the pain of losing everything to that monster so long ago, by pretending she could face him head on.

With her declaration, the other two grew quiet for a moment. Neither of them really knew of Acnologia, so the effect was lost on them. However, she was still a stranger, one who knew Zeref well and seemed confident in her power. Not concerned about their lack of communication, Zeref hurried off towards the train station. “Irene, did your eye magic manage to locate it?”

Nodding, the woman smiled towards him. “Of course, my lord. We should head towards a harbor, for we will need to travel by boat to reach this tower.” Without arguing, Zeref quickly purchased tickets to travel to Hargeon. It was the nearest port town, and from there, Irene would guide them towards the R-System. He simply hoped that they didn’t arrive too late to save Erza.


	77. A Mother's Hatred

There was a lot of tension within the boat they rode on, as Irene steered them towards the place she had located with her magic. “So…just how is this supposed to help Mavis again?” Wendy tried, attempting to break the silence.

“Don’t question his actions, child!” Irene ordered, sounding angry on Zeref’s behalf. This was how most of Wendy’s comments were shut down on this trip, actually. She would ask an innocent question, and Irene would take offense for Zeref and defend him. At this point, she was beginning to irritate him by doing so.

Ignoring her, He turned towards Wendy who was already apologizing for her comment. “The R-System is a spell designed for resurrecting the dead. If someone has determined a method of gathering enough power to activate it, I can use it to heal Mavis instead.” The girl nodded slowly, flashing him a grateful smile.

“I think you are all forgetting something else that’s rather important at this point.” Loke scowled in irritation at them, leaning forward in his seat. “What are we going to do about Erza?”

Stiffening, Zeref’s gaze shot to Irene who blinked and laughed at that name. “I’m sorry, I must have misheard that little brat of yours. For a moment, I thought he claimed we were looking for Erza.”

Already bracing himself for her reaction, Zeref slowly nodded. “In a way, we are. From what I’ve gathered, it is likely that someone is trying to use her as the sacrifice to activate the R-System.” Irene seemed to freeze, her gaze tearing away from the water and turning towards them instead.

“You…you knew where she was, this entire time?” She looked torn between anger and pain as she gazed into Zeref’s eyes. “How…how could you hide this from me? You’ve known, known for years just what she is to me! I vowed one day that I would be the one who destroyed that useless little freak, yet you hid her away this entire time!”

Anger seemed to the the emotion she settled on, Zeref noted. The other two blinked at her in surprise, turning towards Zeref for an explanation. However, Loke quickly focused on Irene after a moment with a glare. “How dare you insult my friend? Erza is a powerful wizard, far more powerful than—“ 

Grabbing his arm, Zeref yanked Loke closer to cut of his words. “Enough. Insulting Irene is not going to make things any better, Loke, nor will it change the past. Irene has good reasons to feel as she does…and it is not our place to argue against her at the moment.”

“She’s claiming she wants to kill Erza! How do you expect me to react?” Loke looked outraged at Zeref’s calm attitude.

Releasing Loke, Zeref leaned back against the side of the boat with a frown. “That won’t happen. Despite what she claims…Irene wouldn’t be capable of killing Erza, no matter how strong her hatred grows.” He smiled darkly towards his general, seeing the woman scowl and focus back on the water.

“I will kill her….just watch me, I will…” She sounded like she was trying to convince herself, but Zeref knew it wouldn’t work.

By his side, Wendy frowned. “Sorry, but what did Erza do that was so bad? I didn’t think anyone from Fairy Tail had met Irene…so it is just confusing that she’d hate Erza so much.”

When Irene remained silent, Zeref hesitated. He didn’t know how much he could reveal without antagonizing his general. “She…it wasn’t what Erza had done. More accurately, it was something Erza could not do. Any more details are not mine to share.” With his gaze narrowing at Irene, Zeref scowled. “However, Irene, you should let go of this attitude at least for now. As a member of my guild, my protection does extend to Erza. I will stand in your way, should you choose to attack her today.”

Glancing at him, Irene sighed and her gaze softened ever so slightly. “Very well. For you, I will restrain myself. However, I cannot guarantee I will do the same in the future…” She trailed off, biting her lip and glancing towards the others. “Perhaps they do deserve to know, if we are to work together properly. Since you seem so intent on learning why I hate Erza, I suppose the simple answer is that she is my daughter, yet she couldn’t free me from my dreadful existence.”

Glancing between her and Zeref, Wendy rubbed the back of her head and smiled slightly. “You sound like Zeref. Don’t tell me you want to die too.” She sounded like she meant it as a joke, but Irene scowled and shook her head.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Our emperor won’t be killing himself anytime soon, if us members of the Spriggan Twelve have anything to say about it.” Glancing towards her, Irene smirked slightly. “As for my desires, let’s just say there is a high price for obtaining the power of a dragon slayer. I simply wish to let go of that, and live a normal life again.”

It looked like Wendy was about to speak, but Zeref shook his head slightly. The action made Wendy’s mouth close, turning into a slightly worried frown as she gazed at Irene. This was venturing into a dangerous subject, with Wendy around. “So long as you stay away from Erza…I suppose I’ll be able to tolerate you.” Loke sounded irritated still, but he stiffly glanced at Zeref and seemed to accept his decision.

Irene snorted, shaking her head slightly. “I never said you had to. I don’t intend on staying long, this is simply a single job meant to aid my emperor, and nothing more.”

“Speaking of which…just what are we planning to do when we get there? You said it was a tower of some kind…but I don’t really get how that helps Mavis. Sure, resurrection might heal her, but then why do you need so much help?” Wendy sounded a bit nervous, biting her lip and staring at Zeref.

The black wizard nodded, giving her a small smile. “Because resurrection is black magic. I wish to…negate the cost of casting this spell. In order to do that, I am in need of a healer, and if something goes wrong, an enchanter.” His black eyes slid over towards Irene as his smile faded slightly. “I expect that you will do as you are asked, even though this situation involves Erza.”

The enchantress sighed, nodding in acknowledgement. “You mentioned switching bodies. Just why would a spell like that be necessary with resurrection?”

“Because, this resurrection spell implants a soul into the body of a sacrifice fused with the tower.” Staring at Irene, Zeref narrowed his eyes. “Should this occur, I do intend on returning Mavis to her former body, as it is unlikely that things would end well with someone else in control of…her power.”

Tossing some hair over her shoulder, Irene glanced back towards Zeref. “So, you’re essentially using me to ensure that Mavis stays in her own body, while Erza keeps her own? It sounds like too simple of a task for a wizard of my power.”

“Can you name another with a spell able to do such a thing?” When Irene remained silent, Zeref chuckled and shook his head. “The challenge for you will be in ensuring that Erza survives…for this, I have a healer that can aid you, if needed. I am not certain as to what damages this system causes to the body of the sacrifice, as I have never once considered using it after seeing just how much power it required. This may exceed both of your abilities…or it may prove to be far too simple of a task. I cannot predict which outcome will occur.”

Staring at him, Loke frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “So, that’s why they’re here. What am I supposed to do while they deal with this spell of yours?”

Raising an eyebrow, Zeref turned towards him. “This tower is not mine, despite the fact that I designed it. Likely, we will have to fight through some form of defense, and I’d prefer it if they could survive this encounter. Based on what I’ve gathered…the laborers within the tower are people who have been enslaved. Their actions are not of their will, and therefore, I see no reason to end their lives for our purposes.”

Nodding, Loke sighed and leaned back. The glare of the light made his eyes invisible to the others around him, blocked by the boy’s glasses. “And what about this power you mentioned? I’ve never once heard you worrying over Mavis having any sort of power back at the guild.” Hearing that, Zeref glanced away and focused on the water. Waves were gently crashing against the side of the boat, rocking it as sunlight seemed to reflect off of the surface in spots.

“Fairy Heart…at least, that’s what I’ve chosen to call it. I found it fitting, considering her own dreams…among other things.” Lumen Histoire had been placed in his care, and the girl inside was the only person he ever loved. As such, naming the spell within her had been simple, since she already held his heart completely. “In terms of what it does…in essence, it actually doesn’t do much on its own. However, it is also far more dangerous than any spell known to exist. In theory, it could allow someone to cast a spell with a destructive power even greater than that of an Etherion Blast, and it could allow for an endless repetition of such an attack. Fairy Heart…is an endless source of magic.”

“Endless?” Wendy sounded stunned, turning towards him with wide eyes. “I never realized…back when I first went to Alvarez, I knew I sensed something strange about her, but it just didn’t seem possible…” She trailed off, likely remembering the interference she found when searching for Mavis within the sea of magic.

Running a hand through his hair, Zeref glanced over towards the young girl. “Mavis has control over that power, or at least, she will when she returns. There is no one else I’d entrust such magic to, no one with a moral code as strongly ingrained as hers. This is why Mavis must remain in her body…for anyone else in control would receive control over Fairy Heart.”

“You know, I could just transfer control of Fairy Heart to you, my lord.” Irene glanced at him, with a slight smirk on her face at her suggestion.

Closing his eyes, Zeref shook his head. “No…that would not be wise. I…there was a time when I made plans to utilize Fairy Heart…and in my darker moments, those ideas still come to mind. Allowing me to have full access to that power would have devastating consequences on the world, considering how much I had planned to alter using that magic.”

Loke gave him a slight smirk at that, shaking his head. “You and your crazy ideas. Sometimes, I wonder what goes on in that head of yours…then I realize I probably don’t want to know.” 

“You are likely correct to assume you do not want to know. Most of my thoughts relate to planning my own death in some form.” Zeref didn’t mind being blunt about that fact, since he felt it had been made obvious with his mission to use Nirvana to reverse his own curse. It hadn’t been his best moment, but word had spread around the guild of what he had done, at least, he thought it had. A few members were more watchful of him, and often would talk to him and try to ask about how he was feeling. He understood that it wouldn’t be happening if they had no reason to be concerned.

Patting his arm, Wendy gave him a slight smile. “Well, I don’t think that’ll last for much longer. I mean, you’ve got Natsu now…and you’ve got all of us. Aren’t we all your friends?” Zeref did his best to ignore her final comment. Thinking about friendship while trapped on a boat with other people was not a good idea for him. “Well…even if you don’t see us that way, I think we are. And if you have friends, life is just that much better. We’ll help you get rid of your pain, and show you just how happy life can be.” A bright smile flashed towards him, as Wendy hugged his arm gently. 

Uncomfortable, Zeref stiffened and tried to pull his arm back. It was rare that he dealt with children, and even rarer that he actually bonded with them in any form. Romeo was still a bit wary of him at times, and the child had grown up around Zeref. Even if that wasn’t the case, contact with others always made him alert and on guard. Zeref was used to killing any living thing that touched him. It forced him to blank out his thoughts every time he came into contact with a living being, and if he couldn’t maintain that mindset, the death predation would unleash itself faster than it did when he was simply standing near living creatures. 

Feeling his reaction, Wendy released him quickly and scooted away to give him some space. Zeref took the time to breath deeply, counting his inhalations to focus his mind. Each count left him calmer than before, and by the time he had counted ten breaths, he opened his eyes again. In the distance, he could spot the hints of some jagged structure. They were nearing the tower, and once they arrived, he would have to be in complete control. Otherwise, he just may end up destroying the only person who had determined a method for activating the R-System and saving Mavis.


	78. High-Stakes Game of Chess

Sitting calmly at the top of the Tower of Heaven, Jellal smiled brightly. Everything was falling perfectly into place for his plans. The witch hunt for Fairy Tail had interfered for a moment, delaying things, but now everything was back on track. His thought projection was doing well at convincing the Council to attack the tower, and his followers had finally brought back his sacrifice. Soon, he would finally bring back the legendary Zeref and find the path to heaven he had always dreamed of as a child.

It had been odd, Jellal thought. Somehow, the entire Magic Council had been fooled into thinking Zeref was actually alive. As the only person able to see and hear his voice, Jellal knew from the start that the man they had arrested was an impostor. The Zeref he knew would never do something so foolish to get himself arrested, nor would he struggle in any way with escaping. Zeref was all-powerful, a god in his own right, and Jellal was going to bring his true self back once and for all. 

The room he sat in was dark, with no light entering through the walls surrounding the circular place. It seemed like all the rooms in this tower were circular like this one, but it was unavoidable with the structure required to create it. Zeref’s voice had whispered to him exactly what was required for its construction, and he followed those instructions perfectly. As a result, he allowed for few alterations for personal comfort. A single chair sat in the room, hard and made of stone but shaped almost like a throne for him. In front of it was his own form of entertainment, a way to amuse himself with his own imaginings. A chess board with various playing pieces rested before him, and on occasion, he would play a game with one of those foolish children incapable of having any true vision for their future. They were nothing but pawns, only useful for the creation of the tower and nothing more. They couldn’t even challenge him in a remedial mental task such as chess, and as such, he grew bored of them rather quickly when they spoke.

It was during one of those chess games that he got the idea, actually. Simon had been playing against him, losing like always. Watching had been Sho and Millianna, cheering on Jellal with irritating voices. “A game like this takes patience, a virtue that I have mastered over the time we’ve spent constructing this tower.” Simon had argued.

“Yeah, but Jellal is the best! No one is better than him, after all, he’s the one who realized that this tower would finally allow us to be free.” Sho sounded eager, grinning at the two of them as they had played their little game.

By Sho’s side, Millianna giggled. “Of course! No one can beat Jellal, you should know that by now, Simon.”

Cheering was not exactly conductive to his thoughts, but Jellal let it pass for now. “Actually…there was one person who I believe could combat Jellal, in both mind and strength.” Simon smirked at Jellal, who only frowned at his hinting tone. He disliked anyone believing they were superior to him. Only he had enlightenment, the ability to see God and bring them to his side.

The twitch of his mouth had been interrupted by Sho’s outburst. “Don’t mention her! Sister betrayed us, you remember what Jellal told us.” By his side, Millianna frowned and rubbed his back gently in comfort.

That term made Jellal pause, his hand on his bishop stopping before he made a move. “Erza…ah, now I see. Do you still have some lingering fondness for her, Simon?” The question was a test, to see just how loyal his followers truly were. He did not accept betrayal, and his punishments were always harsh and unforgiving.

The man frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. “Not at all, I was simply stating a matter of fact. It was her plan that brought us closest to freedom back in the day, even though she abandoned us all in the end.” 

Jellal’s eyes had narrowed, but he let it pass and took his turn. His piece slid across the board, landing on a spot before he leaned back and let his hand rest on his cheek. “Check.” Focusing once more on their conversation, he gazed off towards the wall of the room. “Perhaps you do have a point, Simon. The tower is nearly complete…and we have been searching for the final piece to our little puzzle. I wonder…” Jellal trailed off, considering just what move to make.

His servant made his move, safely hiding his king for the time being. It didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, however, when Jellal could already see his path to victory. “A sacrifice is necessary to open the path to heaven…someone fitting to be a new body for Lord Zeref. If what you say is true…then there is only one person fitting to become the God of the new world. Find me Erza Scarlet, and bring her here. Her body shall become one with the Tower of Heaven, and with her death, a new era will be ushered in, one in which freedom can become a reality for us all.”

That game had changed everything, and put their most recent plan in motion. Jellal had kept tabs on Erza for a long time, using Walley and Millianna as spies throughout cities in Magnolia. Between the two of them, he had come to learn that his former friend had joined some wizard’s guild. The guild itself was an intriguing mystery, however. Even Jellal had not been able to determine just who lead them. Later on, when he realized that he needed to have some measure of influence over the Council, he discovered that the issue went even deeper than he thought. Fairy Tail was a mystery even to the government of Fiore, and it gave Jellal something to contemplate in his free time when he wasn’t focused on returning Zeref to life.

For a brief moment, when he heard that Zeref was the leader of Fairy Tail, Jellal had felt like something shattered in him. Some haze had vanished, and he had seen with horror that all of his sacrifices had been for nothing. The first meeting of the Council to decide on Zeref’s fate had occurred without his presence, since he was reeling over what he had learned. Hidden away in his office within Era, Jellal had thrown all of his books across the floor. Papers were sent flying off of his desk as books slammed into them, and clattering was heard all the way down the hall. Jellal had gripped his hair tightly, breathing hard before leaning over his desk with wide eyes.

Everything he had been through, all of his patience and suffering, for a moment he had thought it was pointless. If Zeref was already alive, why was he building the Tower of Heaven? Why had he not been freed? It would have meant his god betrayed him, and if he was betrayed, Jellal didn’t know what to do. He felt dizzy, and his eyes had closed as he stumbled back. Once again, he felt a moment of haziness, that he actually confused with clarity at the time. Maybe he had been wrong. Zeref was not someone who should be walking the earth, and he had mistakenly seen the wizard as a god.

At that moment, however, Ultear had walked into his office with a dark smile. “The Council is being so foolish right now, don’t you think?” Her words had made him take a deep breath, scowling harshly towards the woman. “After all, we both know the truth. Zeref died centuries ago, he couldn’t possible be alive today. No force on Earth can contain him…but don’t let them deter you. Together, we will still realize your dream, Jellal.” She had walked closer, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and whispering into his ear. The more she spoke, the more he realized she was correct about everything. Zeref was dead, this man was simply an impostor that needed to be punished. “Zeref will be ours…and we will bring you your freedom.”

In the Tower of Heaven, Jellal was shaking his head. He tried to clear away the visions of his past. Much had happened since his journey began years ago, and he was not about to back down now. Gazing up towards the wall, just next to the exit of the room, he spotted a pleasant sight. Chained before him was an old friend, one who bore the future face of Lord Zeref. “My dear Erza…welcome back.” The scarlet haired woman stirred, her head lifting weakly towards him. She was dressed in a long purple gown, likely used to infiltrate that casino she had been in when she was captured. Sending Sho to trick her had been easy, and he knew that she would never distrust an old friend. So long as it wasn’t his face she saw, Erza would hesitate, and that hesitation was enough to bring her back.

“You’re a monster…why haven’t you set them free yet?” Erza was pleading for her friends, rather than herself. It was so…like her. The thought brought a smile to Jellal’s face, as he chuckled slightly.

Leaning against the armrest of his chair, Jellal observed her in silence. “Because they are still awaiting their reward. I am a man of my word, Erza. I promised them that I’d show them heaven…and the day has finally come for it to be our reality.” Jellal couldn’t help but smirk triumphantly at the thought. Based on the countdown he could see from his thought projection’s eyes, Etherion would be blasting away in just thirty more minutes.

Erza clenched her teeth together, her head hanging as she strained against the restraints chaining her arms behind her. Her hair hung forward over her shoulders, a beautiful sight that Jellal had always thought was one of her most striking qualities. “I understand why you hate me…I couldn’t save you, and you were punished for my own actions….I was weak back then. That doesn’t mean you have the right to torment the others! They’ve done nothing wrong. Punish me if you want, but don’t drag them into your twisted dreams, Jellal!”

Instead of replying, Jellal toyed around with one of his chess pieces. The black knight danced around in between his index finger and thumb, twisting and turning in the dark room. “I have not forced them to work, Erza. Take a moment and see things from my perspective. While it may have taken longer, I was enlightened. I saw a path that required no death to create the Tower of Heaven…and I made sure every child was well-fed and cared for during the construction of this place. It is our miracle, and we all long for the finished product. Now, only one piece is missing…the knight to valiantly stand atop the tower and protect those within from any danger. The knight willing to sacrifice herself in order for the king to rise…the knight who stands before me right now.”

Glaring at him, Erza tried to lunge forward. The clanging of chains echoed around them, as she began to shout at him in response. “Never! I will not help you with your plans. You claim to be a man of your word, don’t you? Then do as you agreed so long ago. Let me live my life, free from this place so long as I remain silent!”

Rising to his feet, Jellal crossed his arms behind his back with a frown. “That agreement did have a clause, did it not?” Erza stopped resisting, staring at him with wide eyes. Approaching her, Jellal knelt before her face and cupped her chin carefully. He held her gaze level to his own, giving her a dark smile as she inhaled sharply. “Should you ever return, I promised I’d kill you where you stood.”

Releasing her, Jellal spun around and returned for his chess table. Glancing at the time, he saw that he still had a few more minutes to waste. “I didn’t…I didn’t choose to return…” Erza tried to reason with him, but Jellal had a different idea in mind. He was bored, and he wanted to play a game. After all, games on his own weren’t very fun. You needed two sides to successfully have an enjoyable game, and for it to truly become interesting, the stakes had to be high.

There was a screeching noise as Jellal dragged the table across the room, placing it between himself and his prisoner. Pulling a key out from his coat, Jellal unlocked a single one of Erza’s arms. She held her wrist close to her chest, eyeing him warily with a frown. “What are you playing at, Jellal? This isn’t…a chess board has nothing to do with this tower.”

Smiling, Jellal took a seat across from her. “Correct, however, I find that I’ve become rather fond of games as of late. Unfortunately, no one has been able to challenge me…but now, I see why they haven’t been able to do so. They didn’t have anything invested into the game, there was no purpose or reason to win. A wolf doesn’t hunt simply for pleasure, after all, it hunts to satisfy its hunger.” Erza seemed to gaze at him steadily, calming down now that she was at least partially free. “So, I have a proposal for you, my dear Erza.”

“I told you before, I want nothing to do with your twisted schemes, Jellal.” 

Slowly, Jellal began to set up the pieces on the board with a smile. “Yes, and that is where things get interesting. You wish for freedom…to be separated from my plans entirely and to leave for Fairy Tail once more.” Erza’s eyes widened in surprise at his knowledge of her whereabouts. He simply smirked at her shock, continuing on. “However, I wish for you to play a rather important role in my plans…I need you, Erza, to become my sacrifice. There is no one else deserving of the honor…no one who could possible be more suited to brining about my goals and freeing us all through death.”

A chill seemed to enter the air, but it only made Jellal’s smile widen even further. He reached over, brushing back a strand of Erza’s hair on a whim. The scarlet haired wizard stiffened, leaning back slightly at his touch. She truly had grown to hate him, he noted. That would make this game all the better. “I…I may wish to free you, but this isn’t the way, Jellal. If you’d just listen to me, I could help you. Let me show you what things can be like, what it feels like to finally be freed from this tower. Fairy Tail would—“

“I’m not interested in your offer.” Jellal cut her off with a frown. “Lord Zeref has shown me the truth…no one, not even the ones behind the original construction of this place, could sense his presence, but I could.” Erza seemed to bite her lip at the mention of Zeref, but Jellal continued on. “They were trying to bring their god to life, but they couldn’t even hear his voice! Zeref told me what to do, about how there was no freedom in this world! Only by bringing him back can we find it…and that is exactly what I intend on doing. However…I will give you one chance to stop me.”

Gesturing to the board before them, Jellal leaned forward towards her. Erza gazed at the pieces as well, looking more focused as she saw what he was hinting at. “I see…you wish to play a game of chess, to decide the fate of my friends?” There was a hint of anger in her voice, but the surprise had faded away.

Nodding, Jellal once again began to spin the knight around on his side of the board. “Oh, it will decide much more than that, my dear Erza. You see, this game of ours will be timed. In about twenty minutes, the Council will launch an Etherion Blast at this tower in an attempt to destroy it.” She gasped, attempting to rise to her feet before her chains pulled her back down. “If you win before then, I shall free you and you are free to take your friends and leave. If I win, you will become my sacrifice and our dreams will become a reality. However, if time runs out before our game reaches completion, then we will all be annihilated together, game over, no one wins. A high-stakes game of chess, my dear Erza, and you only have one chance to save your own life. So tell me, just what will it be? Shall we begin, or would you prefer to waste more of our already limited time?”

With a shaky nod, Erza leaned forward and picked up one of her white pawns. Moving it forward, the game began, and so did the timer on the end of their lives. Feeling a rush of adrenaline enter his veins, Jellal couldn’t help but finally feel alive for the first time in years. This was the game he had been waiting for, the final game that would lead to freedom and the realization of all of his dreams once and for all. Failure was not an option, and with that in mind, Jellal made his own first play in kind. Let the game begin, and may the best player win.


	79. Etherion Strikes

Seeing the tower up close, Zeref could not deny what it was. Based on the height and structure before him, someone truly had finished constructing some form of the R-System. The tower stood on top of a jaggedly shaped island, where rocks jutted out and dangerous spots on the shore. Finding a safe place to dock their boat was a challenge, especially with guards watching from the safe spots along the shore. However, Irene handled them with ease. Enchanting one of the rocks, she gave it some form of life as a weapon. Willing it with her power, she knocked out all of the guards on one side of the tower, giving them room to depart onto the island.

Closing his eyes, Zeref attempted to sense the power within the tower. It should have been obvious, if someone was close to activating its power. However, there was nothing. Right now, it was simply a dormant shell. Ethernano from the air was slowly being drawn towards it, but it wasn’t nearly enough to empower the spell. At the current rate of absorption, it would take nearly two centuries for it to be capable of raising the dead. Making a mental note of that, Zeref realized that this person truly was willing to risk their lives for this task. Even he did not know if the R-System had a structure capable of dispersing the magical power of Etherion. In theory, it was possible, but the aftermath would likely kill those within. 

Observing the tower more closely, Zeref tried to find defensive layers within the building. Maybe that had been their decision with creating this place. If it had been designed for that kind of impact, perhaps the creator had a way to disperse the excess magic to the surrounding area. With the way the tower fanned out in places, and the placement on an island with many jagged rocks jutting out towards the water, he could see the potential for disbursement at multiple places throughout. If the damage was centralized to the exterior of the tower, those within would likely only feel as if an earthquake were happening, though that was if the tower itself could withstand the damage or absorb it.

Behind him, the others were watching in silence. They seemed to be following his lead on this mission now, since it had been his plan to use the tower. “It is not active, not yet. I cannot sense any magic gathered for the spell, so we should have more time.” With that, he began walking closer to the tower, searching for an entrance. Based on his original designs, there should be one nearby to enter the hollow structure. The design had been planned so the user could enter and inscribe the necessary magic circles and runes along the walls inside of the tower, after completing the construction of the R-System.

“I could have told you that much. For a spell as powerful as you described, I’m not really sensing much magic.” Loke frowned as he followed after Zeref. The black wizard paused for a moment at the base of the tower, circling it slightly before finding the entrance just slightly more to the right of where he had originally thought it was. The circular design really made it difficult to pinpoint where they were within the tower. Most of it was meant to be symmetrical, though a few markings could be used to pinpoint location from the outside if one knew what to look for.

Stepping inside, Zeref gazed around calmly at their new surroundings. It was dimly lit, with little light provided on the interior. The walls were dark brown, a murky color that seemed to keep the ominous feeling of the room. It was circular in shape, with a rock floor and no furniture beyond a simple staircase. The stairs were on the wall across from them, rising up to a door that was shut, and likely locked for safety. On that door, Zeref finally managed to sense some form of magic, though it wasn’t for the tower. It was meant to block intruders, though it was a simple enough spell to reverse.

Pressing a hand to the wall, Zeref observed it carefully to determine just how far this individual had gotten with the construction. From a distance, the color of the wall and the lack of light hid what was truly present around them. However, close up, Zeref could see the engraved symbols lining the room. Magical runes circled the entire area, patterns complex and difficult to understand for those that did not grasp magic’s base components. As the creator of this very spell, despite how long it had been since designing it, he could still determine if it was done properly. Reading and interpreting the purpose of magic circles was something he excelled in, after using them to design countless spells in the past.

Following the design around the room, Zeref’s brow furrowed as he studied each rune in depth. His hand would drift to markings on occasion, feeling the cold rough surface of the wall and letting his finger trail along the indentation created with the symbols. Complex magic like this always left him feeling somewhat awed by what he had accomplished, despite how dark this magic was. Being capable of defying the laws of nature was a remarkable feat for anyone, and in a strange way, he was proud despite how much he hated the results of his actions.

“Um…I don’t mean to interrupt, but is it really necessary to study the walls?” Wendy hesitantly spoke up from behind him, interrupting Zeref just as he reached the staircase in his observations. “You said there was a friend whose life was on the line…we should probably hurry and try to find her.”

Sighing, Zeref let his hand fall from the wall. “Erza is a capable wizard…I do not think she would go down so easily, regardless of her enemy. Even if that were not the case, this tower is still lacking its source of power, and is useless until twenty seven million magic spheres of energy are gathered within.” Seeing the blank looks on their faces, Zeref realized that few wizards even grew to understand such concepts lately, with most spells already designed for them. “To give you an idea of what I am saying, the average lacrima can contain approximately one magic sphere for later use. The average spell utilizes one tenth of the magic contained within a lacrima…though there are a few exceptions to this. The only spell that comes even close to utilizing this amount of power is Etherion, and that is a weapon that was developed years ago. It requires an entire team of wizards to activate, and that is after the weapon has rested for years, gathering energy and amplifying it utilizing a special lacrima designed to exponentially grow the power stored within. Wizards add to this power on a daily basis, so in emergencies, the weapon can be fired at will.”

He seemed to be losing Wendy with the explanation, but Loke was frowning. He placed his hand on his chin, inclining his head slightly as he fisted the hand it was on. “I see. Essentially, the only thing strong enough to empower this tower…would be Etherion itself.”

By his side, Irene shook her head. “Not quite. If Emperor Spriggan decided it was time, we could use Fairy Heart to cast this spell. In fact, Fairy Heart could allow for this to be repeated as many times as he desired.” 

Glaring over at her, Zeref began moving up the stairs. “I’ve told you before, I am not fit to be in possession of that power. Abusing it, even for a task such as this, is not something I will allow.” He didn’t know if it would be painful for Mavis to extract that power either. For now, he wanted to let her rest in peace, until she returned to life. Despite how much simpler Fairy Heart would make this, he had to resist the urge to abuse the power within his grasp. Essentially, abusing that power would be abusing Mavis’ body, and so long as he kept that in mind, the thought left him thoroughly repulsed enough to avoid it.

At the door, Zeref pressed his palm to the surface, focusing on the spell keeping it locked. It didn’t take him long to unravel the magic within, letting the enchantment dissipate into the air around them. As it did so, Zeref made a mental note of the way the energy seemed to be dragged towards the walls of the tower. While he couldn’t detect such a minimal amount dispersed over such a large structure, he was certain that the tower had absorbed the power of the spell that had once been in place here. 

Turning the handle, Zeref walked into the next room of the tower. This one was much taller than the base, which was something he expected. Spiraling around the walls around him was a massive staircase, designed to bring you to another level at the middle of the tower. Thus far, it was seeming far too easy to get through this place. People seemed to be scarce, and there was no noise to make him feel like another presence was here. 

Frowning, Zeref paused and glanced towards Wendy. “Do you…smell anyone else here? Or perhaps hear them?” 

Blinking, Wendy stepped forward and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. Her hands rested by her sides as she did so, calmly breathing in and out for a moment. Slowly, she began to shake her head afterwords. “No…it smells like they’re all gone. Did something happen to them?” She sounded just as confused as Zeref was. However, that was when he stopped, pausing to consider just why the tower would be evacuated of guards.

“Wait…no one is in this tower?” Loke looked concerned as well. “That would mean Erza is gone as well…and that this entire venture was pointless.” 

Placing a hand on her hip, Irene snorted. “I’d say that’s a good thing. I didn’t want to see that brat again anyway.” 

Studying the wall by his side once more, Zeref slowly shook his head. “The tower is nearly complete…after putting in so much effort, the creator should be tense now, expecting someone to interrupt their plans. Previous attempts at utilizing the R-System have shown that the Council will attack and destroy them…why is this one different?” He already had his theory that it was meant to absorb Etherion, but that did not explain a lack of guards.

Reading the circles around him, Zeref frowned and tried to see if he had interpreted something wrong. Did this person alter the R-System already? “Maybe this person didn’t want those people to get hurt…I mean, it would be dangerous protecting a place the Council wants to destroy,” Wendy suggested.

The writing on the walls was identical to his original plan. At least, Zeref thought it was. Every rune spoke of enchantment, of seeking out the spiritual energy of the dead and binding a person’s personality to another. In essence, the R-System worked a lot like Irene’s enchantment. He had helped her develop it, after all, so it made sense that there were similarities of this nature. The R-System, however, required far more power because of how broad the search had to be. To target a dead soul…even Zeref didn’t quite know where to locate one, so the runes were meant to spread that range out across all of Earthland. Then, it was meant to remove the soul of the sacrifice, leaving an empty body imbued within the heart of the tower. After the body was left empty, the new soul would be implanted, and any damages healed. 

That left him pausing, thinking about Wendy’s suggestion. There were dangers involved if people were involved, but not the ones she was considering. People often tried to claim power like this for themselves, to bring back loved ones from long ago. Making them leave…Zeref froze, dropping his hand and turning towards the others. “Run. We must get to the top…before it activates.”

With that, Zeref picked up his pace, no longer even glancing at the construction of the runes within the tower. It didn’t matter if they were done properly or not, if his theory was correct. Behind him, he could hear the footsteps of the others chasing after him up the stairs. “I thought you said there wasn’t enough energy!” Loke sounded a bit irritated, and slightly out of breath.

Without even glancing back, Zeref replied. “There is not…but this tower would not have been evacuated if it was not on the verge of completion. The creator is worried about theft…at least, that is my assumption. Therefore, when he knew the final pieces were about to fall into place…he either eliminated those that were here, or he sent them away. Regardless, the effect is the same.”

“Wait, then that means…” Wendy trailed off, her eyes wide as she shook slightly. “An Etherion blast is about to strike all of us? Why are we going deeper into the tower?”

Smiling darkly, Zeref glanced upward to see their progress. “When it strikes, the blast will be absorbed into the walls around us. This entire tower…I noticed it earlier, when I broke the enchantment on the lock. I am fairly certain that someone has had an ingenious idea…to create the R-System out of the same material as a lacrima.”

Irene gasped, glancing towards him with wide eyes. “That’s unheard of…even Lumen Histoire isn’t this size.” Zeref nodded in response.

“That is exactly why this plan just may work. A lacrima of this size…it would be the only thing capable of containing so much raw magical power, but even then…” He trailed off, trying to calculate just what a lacrima like this could store. The size would increase its capacity, but he still did not know if it was enough. “It will be unstable. I imagine quick work is needed…thus, he obtained his sacrifice before he gained the energy required.”

“I find myself agreeing with Wendy at this point….” Loke sighed and pushed his sunglasses further up his face. “I may understand your mindset, but I find that I’m rather enjoying life at the moment. So, why are we rushing into an unstable lacrima about to be struck by Etherion?”

“Etherion will not harm us, and so long as we utilize the stored energy quick enough, there will be no repercussions from the instability of the energy.” Zeref glanced back at Loke, smiling confidently. “The rush is in ensuring that this tower is used for our purposes…so that it is used to finally free Mavis from her death-like state.”

Frowning, Wendy glanced over at Zeref. “Um…didn’t you say that this person would be cursed like you already if this was going to work? I’m sorry…but it just doesn't make much sense to me…” She trailed off, uncertain about what was going to happen.

That was a mystery as well, based on what he had seen. The tower was perfectly constructed, with the floors placed at just the right spaces for the gaps between the layered magic circles. Arriving on the middle level, Zeref quickly scanned the room for another staircase. Only two more levels should exist before reaching the top. “At this point…my assumption is that they are attempting to resurrect someone who is already alive. If that occurs…” Zeref paused, thinking about what the R-System would do as a result. The massive structure and amount of magic…it would not even put a dent in the amount stored within. The spell was designed to activate in segments, and by using it on someone alive, many aspects of it would not even meet the conditions necessary to be activated. As a result, it would still be powered enough to use for its true purpose.

Glancing towards the others over his shoulder, Zeref continued towards the next set of stairs. “It will function like Irene’s body switching enchantment. The sacrifice’s soul will be transported into the body of the targeted individual…while the one being resurrected will find themselves inside the body of the sacrifice. Irene, do you have enough magic to perform that enchantment multiple times?” He turned towards the enchantress, who smirked and nodded, holding her staff confidently.

“Of course, do you take me for a weakling?” Chuckling, Zeref shook his head and returned his focus to their progress. “I’ll make sure everyone gets out of this in their proper bodies, your majesty. If it is your request, it is my duty to grant it for you.”

A bright white light filled the room at that moment, making Zeref whiled his eyes and squint at the glare. His ears began to ring as a massive crashing was heard, rumbling around and flooding his senses with far too much noise. The entire structure around them began to shake, making Wendy stumble forward and fall onto his back. Zeref stiffened, his back arching slightly as he attempted to pull away without making her fall entirely. The girl clung to him, however, afraid of the motion. Seeing what was happening, Loke grabbed Wendy and pulled her towards the wall while the blast settled down. 

Slowly, the shaking stopped as the light faded away. Zeref had been forced to pause and wait for the others, but now he turned back to see them staring with wide eyes at the transformed structure. The black wizard could sense the energy around him, the sheer power of the R-System brought to life. Crystalized, the interior of the tower was now a magnificent sky blue, shining brilliantly around them. Every wall, every floor, and every staircase was frozen in this form as energy swirled restlessly within. It felt alive and the sensation of being around it made Zeref’s skin tingle. He could not remember the last time he had been so close to witnessing the discovery of a new spell. While this one was of his own design, he felt excited and nervous to see the theory proven correct after all of this time.

The power of Etherion seemed to be slightly amplified, as well. Based on his senses, Zeref felt like there was more energy than necessary stored within the walls, but his prediction was appearing to be accurate. It was leaking out in places, seeking an escape into the outside air. Focusing on it for a moment, he paused and closed his eyes. Afterwords, he nodded a single time and continued on. “Fifteen minutes.”

The others blinked at him, frowning in confusion. “Until what?” Irene seemed just as lost, even though her senses were honed much better than the others.

“Until this tower will be incapable of containing this amount of power. We should arrive at the top in approximately three more minutes…and that leaves us with twelve to ensure that we are the ones activating—“ Zeref’s words were cut off as he stumbled forward, feeling something churn within him. In his chest, it felt like someone was tugging on his heart. At first, he thought he could ignore the sensation and continue on. Then, the tug became stronger, more forceful as he frowned. It cut off his words, blocking his vocal chords from obeying his commands. A vice grip had wrapped around his chest, and if he didn’t know any better, he would have guessed that someone had developed a method of actually killing him. The process wasn’t painful at first, but now it felt like someone was tearing his heart from his chest, breaking every bone in his ribcage throughout the process.

Hunching over, Zeref gasped and groaned. Another sharp tug came, though Zeref tried to resist. He felt Wendy touch his arm, and he glanced towards her concerned brown eyes. Both of her hands were hovering by him, and he saw her mouth moving as she tried to say something. Likely, she was trying to heal him, and he smiled slightly at the sight. How amusing, that he would be the one to need healing on this mission. If he had control, he would have laughed, but it only took one more yank for everything to grow dark. The tower faded away from his sight, and his body collapsed completely on the ground, with Irene, Loke, and Wendy all surrounding him in desperation and worry.


	80. Fallen Kings

Blinking his eyes open, Zeref felt a bit dazed as he recovered. He was used to healing from near-death experiences, however, so it did not take him long to sit up and frown at his surroundings. The first thing he noted was that he was still somewhere within the tower. The second thing was that this was not the centralized floor.

Above him, the ceiling of the tower was nonexistent. Only the day-lit sky shown above them, with the sun beginning to set on the horizon. Underneath his body was a smooth surface. Turning his gaze down, he saw the crystal of the lacrima beneath him. It was still shining, and as he closed his eyes, Zeref frowned. His senses were dulled somehow, and while he could detect the magic of the tower, it wasn’t as easy to focus on as it usually was.

Sighing, he opened his eyes again and decided that there was still magic left in the tower. At least they weren’t too late to utilize it. He glanced around, seeing spiky structures of lacrima jutting out in spots around him. His gaze searched for Loke, Wendy, and Irene, but the only person he spotted was strange. A man was smiling, almost with a crazed look in his eyes as he gazed upon Zeref. A dark laugh came from his mouth as the blue haired wizard pressed a hand to his hair, triumphantly raising the other one into the sky.

Rising to his feet, Zeref watched him warily. “Who ar—“ Zeref broke off, touching his throat suddenly. That was not his voice, not at all. It was feminine, and it sounded almost like…Erza. His eyes widened in realization, his hand dropping to his side as he focused on the man once more. This time, as he studied the wizard more closely, he saw the familiar marking around his eye that he had missed originally. He was identical to Siegrain in every way…and that meant that this was Jellal, the true counterpart of Mystogan in this world.

“It worked! My dreams have finally been realized, Zeref has been reborn!” The man shouted his accomplishment to the sky, before lowering his gaze and bowing before Zeref. Jellal knelt down on the ground, his head humbly dropping in a sign of respect. “I do hope you are pleased with your new form, my lord. Her power is unparalleled, and no other seemed more fitting to be your vessel.”

Stepping forward, Zeref slowly began to try and get used to the new form. His head was heavier, with far more hair than usual. His chest seemed to carry more weight as well, making him wonder why Mavis had complained so much about being underdeveloped. It was rather irritating for him, and it made the dress on his body feel far too tight. The fabric was smooth against his skin, but he quickly discarded the shoes. Whatever footwear Erza had been wearing, it was not something that worked for balance. Glancing behind him, he noted the high heels and made a mental note to never wear them again.

Accessing Erza’s magic felt strange, but he closed his eyes and attempted to do so anyway. He would not have his usual power, but he did understand the concepts behind spacial magic at least. After working with Irene on creating the theory for Universe One, spells like this were actually rather simple. It took a bit longer than Erza’s usual actions, but after a few moments he did manage to requip into a more comfortable outfit. Within her storage, Erza had a black set of armor that he felt suited him well. He recalled she named it Black Wing Armor, though he did not entirely remember what it enhanced in battle.

With the change complete, Zeref scowled and glanced down at the man. Between them seemed to be a table of sorts, with chess pieces scattered across. Some had fallen over, likely from when Etherion had struck. The white king was knocked on its side, a typical sign of surrender in a game of chess. Based on the placement Zeref could see, both sides were fairly skilled, though the pieces seemed to favor black. The surrender was not necessary quite yet, and likely, the king had fallen from the shaking rather than a deliberate surrender.

Kneeling down, Zeref claimed the white king and rolled the piece around in his palm. “A fallen king does not always desire to return to his kingdom.” It was a calm statement, a comment he made as he glanced towards Jellal out of the corner of his eye.

The blue haired wizard lifted his gaze slightly, looking desperate. “I’ve done everything you asked, though! You came to me, told me to construct this tower so you could return to life. If it wasn’t for you…I never would have found this path, the one path to true freedom in any world.”

Confused, Zeref did his best to conceal his expression. Instead, he focused entirely on the curving shape of the king, continuing to watch it as it rolled around in his palm. His thumb pushed it back and forth, with the slight ridges near the top of the piece digging into his skin at times. “Freedom…is that all you wished for?” It was a calm question, spoken while Zeref closed his eyes in focus. It would be difficult, using powerful magic like this in Erza’s body. However, it wasn’t beyond her abilities to do.

By his side, Jellal nodded eagerly and slowly began to rise. “Of course…and you are the one who can finally bring it about. Only in your world can we realize our dreams. I’ve been trapped in this tower, building it ever since I was a child. First, it was done as a follower, but then I saw your face, and I knew I was the only one capable of bringing about your true vision, my lord.”

Mutely, Zeref tilted his head slightly. He let the chess piece fall back to the board, setting it upright in the spot that it seemed to have fallen from. Around it, the piece seemed to be surrounded by white pawns. Their paths were blocked by black pawns on the opposing side, though one did seem to have the opportunity to take on the black knight. 

Without really focusing on the effect, Zeref picked up that pawn and claimed the knight, tossing the black piece over to Jellal. The wizard caught it, blinking and looked mildly startled at Zeref’s actions. “Visions cannot be realized alone. In a world such as ours, there are only two types of people.” Staring at the board, Zeref began removing pieces all at once. He shoved aside the knights, bishops, and rooks, having no interest in any of their places on the board. Carelessly, he tossed them on the ground, leaving a battlefield of kings, queens, and pawns. “You are either a leader, or a follower…a king, or a pawn.” With that, he pulled the queen off from the black side, throwing it on the ground. Gently, he lifted up the white queen, which seemed to have already been on the ground from the gameplay of their match.

Lifting the piece into the air, Zeref glanced towards Jellal with a slight smile. “However, there are certain circumstances where another power arises…one with the strength of a king, but the necessary compassion for pawns to balance out the darkness in his heart.” Jellal looked startled, taking a hesitant step back as Zeref approached. “For every king, a queen is necessary. Without the queen…” Zeref placed the queen in a strategic spot on the board. Following Zeref’s gaze, Jellal’s eyes widened, seeing what he had just done. The black king, no matter where it moved, could not reach safety. If it had been done legally, this would have been check mate, despite the board being filled with only pawns, kings, and a single queen. “The entire plan falls apart, and the king will perish. So, I ask you, where is my queen, Jellal? No…I already know the answer. Perhaps…perhaps I am more interested in this. Where is your queen?”

When he didn’t reply, Zeref smirked. He couldn’t help it, especially as his power increased to its peak. Activating his spell, Zeref stepped forward as something seemed to tremble within the tower. A magic circle formed just behind him and the chess table, encompassing nearly two thirds of the surface of the tower. Very little room would be left for them to stand when it was finished, but he did not care at this point. “This…this wasn’t my dream…” Jellal was looking fearful, shaking his head and clutching the side of his face. “Nothing’s changed! I don’t…my queen…” His gaze turned distant, before he focused on Zeref once more. “I sacrificed everything to reach this point. Is this truly all you have to offer me, Zeref? Are you nothing more than a fake as well, offering false promises of freedom and peace?”

Chuckling darkly, Zeref shook his head as black light seemed to flash behind his body. The circle activated, and a massive figure began to appear behind him. “Freedom? There is only one person I’ve ever promised to grant that to…and I assure you, I will fulfill that task.” Titling his head, Zeref stepped aside to reveal what had arrived at the tower. Lumen Histoire now stood before Jellal, and the sight of the imprisoned girl made his eyes widen. He gasped, his hands falling to his sides as he saw the sight of Mavis within. “As for peace…there is only one path to true peace, only one way to end all suffering in your heart. I told you before, fallen kings do not often wish to return, Jellal. You’ve stolen what small measure of peace I had from me…and I am quite angry.”

Glancing around, Zeref spotted the smooth surface intended for the sacrifice’s entrance into the R-System. “I didn’t realize…I never meant to harm you. I only desired…” Jellal trailed off, sounding conflicted as he touched his face. “Erza….what have I done?”

He sounded far more human in that last sentence than he had during their entire conversation. “I see. It appears as if none of this was your doing…someone else wished for this to happen.” Possession magic was rare, but he knew it existed. The slight moment of sanity showed Zeref that he was starting to break free, but he was angry at the person who impersonated himself to bring this about. “I suppose…despite my anger, I must also thank you. If it were not for your actions, I never would have realized my true dream.” This was going to be risky, but he had spent enough time. He just hoped the others were coming soon, and that they didn’t waste time trying to determine how Erza ended up within his own body.

Out of the corner of his eye, Zeref spotted a hint of black around the edge of the tower. It was a familiar sight, and it made him realize Erza was not coping well with the switch either. At least they were further along in their journey, however. The outburst came just a single floor below them, and it told Zeref that he could time this perfectly. If he was wrong…well, he wouldn’t feel too terrible over the results. If he had to die to save Mavis, so be it. Staring at her form in the crystal, Zeref smiled and took a deep breath. Pulling one of his blades out, Zeref began to carve into the floor of the tower. More runes were added to the already complex spell, detailing an added layer for it. Hopefully, it would allow the R-System to heal the body of the target as well as the sacrifice, but otherwise, he would be satisfied with the result.

Glancing up towards Zeref, Jellal watched as the black wizard approached the sacrificial lacrima once more. “Wait!” Jellal tried to approach him, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. “I need…if you go, I feel as if I may go insane again. My mind…I can’t tell what is right and what is wrong…” He sounded desperate, and it made Zeref sigh and shake his head.

“Focus on finding your queen. Only she can free you from the darkness….” Glancing back towards Mavis, Zeref smiled slightly. “And if your queen does not exist…focus on bringing her back. That is how I’ve survived and lived my life. Even if I must perish for her to return…I will bring Mavis back to this world.”

With that, Zeref pressed his arm into the crystal, feeling the cold slowly begin to absorb his altered body. He knew that technically, Mavis’ body could serve as the sacrifice, but at the moment, he did not have the power to free her from Lumen Histoire. The magic power required existed in his body, but not in Erza’s. As a result, this was now the only way. However, just as he was dragged in to his shoulder, he felt someone pull him back out and throw his body down onto the ground. Standing over him, Jellal gazed down harshly at him.

“Is that so?” A golden light began to shine around him as the man activated his magic. “At the moment, you bear the body of my queen, Zeref. I will not let you sacrifice her body again, for anyone other than Erza!”

Seeing his rage, Zeref rolled away as the man moved to punch him. Jumping back to his feet, Zeref frowned and gazed into Jellal’s enraged eyes. “Very well…then I have another task to ask of you.” The man paused for a moment, eyeing him warily. “Erza was never capable of undoing the enchantment holding Mavis within this lacrima. However, if I am not mistaken, that golden light around you is heavenly body magic, is it not?”

Nodding, Jellal stood ready to continue fighting at a moment’s notice. “Then you posses an immense amount of magical energy in your body…true heavenly body magic requires immense power to wield, as each spell requires nearly half a magic sphere to cast. As a result, you have the potential to do as I need…” He held his hand out towards Jellal, smiling darkly. “Behind me stands my queen. If you wish for this body to remain unharmed, you will free her from her prison…so I can sacrifice her to this tower and resurrect someone dear to me that I cannot bear to live without.”

With that, Jellal hesitantly approached Lumen Histoire. Zeref eyed him carefully, not letting his gaze move from the other wizard for a single moment. As Jellal pressed his hand to the surface, Zeref fought against the impulse to drag the wizard away and defend his greatest treasure. No one was allowed to touch Mavis, but he had no choice in the matter. Another blast of black magic seemed to fill the horizon, almost reaching them in the distance. It made Jellal stop, gazing at it with wide eyes as Zeref stepped forward and held the boy still by the lacrima. “Ignore it. Your task lies before you, I shall deal with anyone that interferes.”

With that, Jellal nodded and continued examining Mavis. After a few moments, his body began to glow even brighter with yellow light. His magic illuminated the top of the tower, clashing with the darkness of the black cloud hiding it from view. Frowning, Zeref noted that it wasn’t stopping as quickly this time. Ankhseram’s curse was taking a stronger hold on Erza at the moment, and he wondered if Loke and Wendy were okay as a result. However, he didn’t get the chance to focus as Jellal was thrown back from Lumen Histoire by an invisible force. He landed on his back, gasping as he slid across the tower and eventually stopped when colliding with one of the towering crystals around them.

“I…there’s something in there that’s interfering with my magic.” Jellal frowned and sat up, gazing at the crystal. “Just what is it?”

Narrowing his gaze, Zeref sighed and shook his head. “I see. I suppose it was futile to hope that another could free her. Hopefully, Irene will arrive soon then.” Glancing towards him, Zeref gave the man a dark smile and approached the sacrificial lacrima once more. “Since you are not capable of freeing Mavis, I have only one option left. You better hope that those companions arrive here alive…for they will be the only ones left that are capable of bringing your queen back to you when I’m done.” With that, Zeref leapt away from Jellal before he could react. The man went berserk, using Meteor to fly towards him, but it was too late. Zeref wasted no time with his second attempt. He threw himself into the lacrima, letting it swallow his entire body in just moments. As the chill seeped into his skin and numbed his body, he closed his eyes. As both sacrifice and caster, the entire process followed his will, but he still faded out from consciousness in moments. Darkness flooded his vision, and then, everything went blank even within the confines of his own mind.


	81. The Joy of Suffering

Mavis was confused, rubbing her head as she sat up in a strange place. She didn’t really know what had happened. The last thing she remembered…she had been with Zeref. After stepping down as the guild’s leader, and passing the mantle off to him, she had wandered the world alone. It had been her way of trying to figure out how to cope with her curse, but it didn’t work. Everything continued to die around her, and no matter what she did, she knew she would never forget the value of life. As such, she knew she would always suffer.

That had been before Zeref found her, out there and alone. It had been a year since she left, though she had stopped by on occasion just to see him. For some reason, Zeref’s blunt way of speaking let her forget things for just a moment. It comforted her in a way most people couldn’t, speaking with someone who was cold and not all that concerned with how much death was on her hands. He never once blamed her, nor did he offer her aid. However, yesterday…at least, she thought it was yesterday, had been different. They had met like normal, out in the forest. She had just killed again, and it was getting to be too much for her. All the death, and the inability to have friends, it was just too lonely. She had stopped eating as a result, though she never told Zeref that part. 

This time, she finally broke down. The tears had been shed, and she asked him…she asked her only remaining friend to kill her. Mavis didn’t know what had possessed her to do that, but she realized it would be too painful for him so she had changed her wish. He explained more about the curse, about how he was coping with it on his own. She saw for the first time that it did far more than just corrupt your love and make it deadly. She saw the contradictions in his own thoughts, and the way Zeref was at war with himself and what he wanted to do. It broke her heart, to see him so conflicted like that. As a result, she had only one thing to offer him.

“Zeref…” Mavis mumbled, glancing around for him. She had promised to help end their curse. They were going to do it, side by side. Not only that, but she had to talk to him. Her hand went to her lips, blinking slightly as she inhaled sharply. A memory flashed in her mind, the image of Zeref’s tear-stricken face leaning closer to her own. The feeling of his breath, fanning across her nose as he tilted her own head towards his. His hands cupped her cheeks, and her eyes had drifted shut, closing over the few remaining tears on her own face. 

It had been so sweet, and warm, and pleasant. Mavis felt fuzzy just remembering it now, and she knew she needed to talk to Zeref. For some reason, everything after that was a blank, but things couldn’t have really changed that much. After all, it was only sunset now, and she had been with Zeref around noon. Maybe it hadn’t even finished the day yet, she decided, though this place was odd. Something still seemed to be rumbling around her, but it looked like she was on top of some massive building. Open skies were visible all around, along with dark brown spires at random places. By her feet, Mavis spotted something written. She grew interested, studying them with a smile as she recognized the magical runes carved into the floor.

She was so focused on studying them that she didn’t even notice the others here with her. “You…how dare you walk free? He stole everything from me, and then took away my chance to fix it all…” A broken voice caught her attention, making Mavis glance up. Thus far, it looked like a healing spell of some form, but she would finish determining its purpose later. A man with blue hair and a dark red marking around his eye looked like he was about to cry. “How can I possibly atone for what I’ve done now? All of those lives wasted…all of it, yet you claim it isn’t my fault? Just who were you, Black Wizard Zeref?”

It was not meant to be a question for someone to answer, but Mavis couldn’t help herself. With a small smile, she sat down on the ground and rested her hands in her lap. “Zeref is a kind man. I don’t care what history says…he’s the kind of person who will always tell you the truth, no matter how painful it may be. If he says it wasn’t your fault, believe him.”

The man glanced towards her, while Mavis frowned at her voice. Maybe it was a bit scratchy from resting and not eating for so long. To be honest, she couldn’t even remember the last time she had even drank water. Trying to end her life really did make her body do strange things, she decided. “You…so, his plan worked. He freed you.” The man sounded so broken, but his words made Mavis frown.

Glancing at her hands, she wondered what she was freed from. That was when she froze, noticing the strange armor on her body and the larger chest she now had. Did he mean…freed from the curse? Her hands shook, rising slowly to touch her breasts an make sure she wasn’t imagining things. “No, it is not what you think, Mavis.” A calm voice from behind her made Mavis pause. Another girl was talking, and turning her head around, she spotted the remnants of a massive lacrima that had shattered. Standing in the center of the destruction, however, was a sight that made her freeze. It was herself, her own long blond hair reaching down to her ankles with not a single inch of clothing on.

Shrieking, Mavis rushed forward to try and cover up the skin so the other man couldn’t see. In response, whoever was in her body stumbled back in an attempt to get away from her. “No! Stay back…in your body, I possess the curse, Mavis.” With that, it made Mavis pause and frown at him. “It is a long story…but for the time being, I’ve ended up in your body. I…I can’t tell you how happy I am, to see you alive again. You may not sound the same, and you may be in Erza’s form, however…I can still tell, it is my Mavis within her.” A smile flickered across the face of the body-stealer, one filled with a sadness that Mavis recognized quite well. The expressions on his face and the way he was speaking…it made her step back with wide eyes.

“Zeref?”

He seemed to nod his head, frowning as he tossed some hair behind his shoulder that had fallen forward. “Of course. I had not expected my alterations to have this effect…but I suppose it will do. Lumen Histoire shattering was the best outcome, since it appears as if your body has been capable of awakening for longer than I first thought. The circle to share the healing spell between both of us…it hardly had to be used to have the desired effect, I think.”

Staring at the runes at her feet, Mavis blinked and realized what they were. It was tying into another spell…though she had no idea where the other circle was located. “Well…um…could you at least…put something on?” Mavis toyed with her hands in front of her, glancing at her feet. They felt so strange, covered with dark black boots instead of feeling the ground beneath her feet. Shoes were soft and warm, but it didn’t compare to the sensation of cool grass under her soles, or having the ability to let her feet heat up while on the streets during a sunny day.

Zeref seemed to pause, glancing down at himself with a slight frown. “Clothes…?” He seemed to blink, glancing back up at Mavis and sighing. “Right, I had forgotten. Clothing interfered with the preservation spell…” Mavis was confused as to what he was talking about, frowning as she watched him. “Regardless, it shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.” He seemed to close his eyes for a moment, and the air around him seemed to shudder with light. Mavis’ eyes widened as color appeared, taking on a shape slowly at first. Eventually, it began to look like a simple black dress, much like the one she had worn during her mission against Blue Skull. 

“Illusion magic…but you never…” 

Smiling, Zeref stepped forward and shook his head again. He seemed to be tilting his head around, as if something felt off about it. “Yes, but you were quite skilled with it. Based on my experience before, I imagine our magic alters based on the body we are within. Perhaps it relates to the containers within each individual for storing ethernano…it could affect development, in the sense that only certain aspects of magic…” he trailed off, seeming to get lost in his theory before he stopped himself. “No…I must keep thinking about this.” It was barely a whisper, but Mavis heard his words.

Frowning, she stepped closer. Behind her, she knew the other boy was still watching in confusion, but she didn’t care. Zeref was looking troubled, and she wanted to help in some form. He had helped her, by showing her that someone had found a way to cope with this miserable existence. Zeref had offered her a distraction, a place to go to where her curse wouldn’t steal away life. Now, not only did she owe him, but she also wanted to help the one person who understood her pain. “It’ll be okay, Zeref. I’m sorry if I overslept and delayed our plans, but we can still go searching, right?” She smiled at him, but he seemed to have stilled at her words. “We’ll have a lot of fun, and it can be just the two of us if you want. It’ll be our own little adventure, and when it’s over, we’ll finally be able to go back to our lives again.”

Mavis reached out towards him, trying to grab his arm. However, Zeref jerked back, tripping over something on the ground and falling backward. Startled, Mavis leaned back and watched. He wasn’t normally this clumsy, that was what she was like. “Stay back! I told you…the curse…” He pressed a hand to his head, grimacing and clenching his teeth together. It was strange, seeing that expression on her own face, too. Mavis wondered just how he ended up in her body, but she decided the answer would come soon enough anyway.

Taking a deep breath, Zeref seemed to grow calmer as he remained on the ground. He didn’t even sit back up, but instead, he let his legs fall flat on the ground, lying on his back and gazing at the sky. “I did not realize that you had…no, perhaps you haven’t. Mavis…just what do you remember?”

It was a strange question, one that made her frown as she sat down on the ground next to him. He seemed to stiffen, but at least he didn’t jerk away from her again. She was beginning to wonder if something was wrong, but maybe he just didn’t like the person whose body she was in right now. After all, she felt kind of odd talking to herself too. “Well…we were out in the forest near Magnolia, talking about how things had been lately. It had been our second time meeting that week, actually…” Earlier that week, Mavis had been much happier. That had been before she wandered into some small village, and found herself standing around in shock. The sunlight had danced around the sky the day that ended, while she stood still in a village, surrounded by corpses.

Banishing the unpleasant memory, Mavis tried to think of speaking with Zeref instead. Then again, that meeting hadn’t involved a lot of talking. She had been so desperate to be around someone, to be near anyone, that she had overreacted to Zeref’s presence. The thought made her blush, especially now that she thought about his confession from earlier today or yesterday. Maybe she had pushed him towards feeling a bit too strongly for her, when she had leapt into his arms giddily after months of being isolated from the world. 

He had told her that Fairy Tail was doing well, and that he was trying to live up to her standards. She had told him that she still didn’t have control over her curse. Both of them were avoiding the simple fact that she looked exhausted, and the fact that Zeref had to come out into the depths of the forest surrounding the town just to see her. This was their place of peace, the only time either of them got to ignore their problems and simply enjoy the company of another person.

At that point, somehow, Mavis felt like she wanted something more than just a simple discussion, though. “I’d have been married about now, if things had gone differently.” With all the wars going on back then, woman had been marrying young and Mavis felt like she was left out. Zeref had seemed startled by her comment, frowning and eyeing her closely. “But…I still have you, right? I guess I can’t complain, because I know I’ve got friends out there, always looking out for me.” With that, she had covered Zeref’s hand with her own, smiling brightly at him. “In fact…do you think you could do me a favor, Zeref? For just once…I want to pretend that it never happened. I want to pretend that I had a normal life…that I have a husband, and a loving family to return to…” Even then, she had been on the brink of tears. Despite how hard she tried to hide it from him, she wanted to break down every second she had been talking.

“I…I don’t think you understand what you are asking for, Mavis.” He frowned and studied her, glancing away. “You aren’t alone in your wishes…I can’t tell you how long it has been, since that has even been a possibility for—“ Mavis cut him off, pressing a hand to his mouth and forcing him to stop.

Smiling at him, Mavis shook her head at his words. “We’re friends, Zeref. For just today…you aren’t the black wizard, and I’m not the cursed girl who gave up her life for the guild she created. We’re just two friends…just two people, looking to enjoy this beautiful day around us.” With that, before she had been able to lose her nerve, she had kissed him. From there, things had gotten a bit out of hand.

On the Tower of Heaven, Mavis shook her head to clear those memories away. That probably meant a lot more to Zeref than she had realized, but maybe that wasn’t a bad thing. However, she felt cold when she realized how much her request had to have hurt him, if he thought that was a sign she was doing better. “I asked you to kill me.” Zeref lifted a hand to rest on his forehead, looking like he was trying to meditate as she spoke. “Then, I realized a better option. I promised we’d go searching for a cure, Zeref, and that we’d do it together. After that…you…you told me…” She swallowed, biting her lip before letting herself give him a small smile. “You said you loved me…and then you kissed me.”

She stopped there, but Zeref’s shoulders seemed to shake slightly. “And then you died.” It was a simple statement, continuing her story, but it had a powerful effect. Her entire body froze, and Mavis felt numb as she stared at him. Zeref turned his head towards her, and now, she saw tears streaming down his cheeks. “I loved you…and because I loved you so much…you had to die. From that day…I’ve fought against loving anyone ever again, but you made it so hard. The guild…your words…I saw you everywhere, and I never forgot. Life became nothing but agony…yet I couldn’t imagine it being better any other way. So long as the pain was there, I knew you had been real. So long as I felt that sorrow, I knew you would be watching over me. It was the only piece of you I had left…and it made me happy, to suffer in this world.”

Her breathing was becoming hard, her chest rising and falling as her hands tried to grip the ground by her sides. “I…no, I couldn’t have…” She couldn’t believe it, but the pain in Zeref’s voice wouldn’t be there if it was a lie. 

“It was my fault, Mavis. I am so sorry…sorry that I thought I could love you. I never should have tried…I never should have had hope that things would be fine.” His gaze pleaded with her, but Mavis did not want this. She didn’t want him to take back those sweet, caring words.

Shaking her head, Mavis felt her own tears wetting her cheeks. “No…it wasn’t your fault. Don’t say things like that, Zeref! Don’t say that you shouldn’t have…that you shouldn’t…” She was choking on her own breaths, interrupting her words as she fought against the desire to reach out and comfort him. She knew Zeref, and she knew he wouldn’t want that right now.

Seeing her trembling arms, Zeref rolled over onto his side to focus on her. “Is it untrue, Mavis? I’ve had quite a bit of time to think on that day…to see that I had an unclear view of our relationship. Despite my hopes, I know and understand that you do not return my feelings, Mavis. After all, I did not join you in death that day…therefore, it is only logical to see that your care for me was that of a friend, and I went ahead and deemed it as something more.” 

That only made her cry harder, her shoulders shaking as she sniffled slightly. “Stop saying things like that!” She had told him that before, but he wasn’t listening. This time, she shouted it louder, and it made him flinch slightly. “I didn’t…I didn’t have time to think, Zeref! I…I never thought that you would ever…that either of us would ever really feel that way. You told me how you felt, then you kissed me…but I didn’t even consider my own feelings. While you were focused on how you felt about me, I was trying to think about what it meant…I didn’t get the chance to love you.” Her last comment came out barely as a whisper. 

Observing her, Zeref smiled ever so slightly. “I see…so there was a chance, had things turned out differently. I don’t know if that makes things better or worse.” He rolled back onto his back, sighing. Mavis watched the rise and fall of his chest as he did so, finally giving up on resisting the urge to get closer to him. She crawled forward, grabbing his hand and clutching it tightly. It didn’t matter if he was wearing her face or not, he was still Zeref and she still needed him to hear her.

“We still have a chance! I don’t care if you killed me, it was what I asked you to do anyway!” That probably wasn’t the best thing to say, but she continued on regardless. “Don’t blame yourself for that, not when we have our whole lives ahead of us yet. I…maybe I died, but I’m here again now, right? So, I think it is about time we got started on that adventure of ours…even if we have to be a bit careful along the way.”

She didn’t care if she couldn’t touch Zeref, or if she had to walk feet away from him. Mavis just wanted him to be in her life, so she had someone to lean on for support when things got too hard for her. He seemed to study her for a moment, before sitting up and slowly nodding. “I never once imagined that you’d forgive me…even now, you can still surprise me, Mavis. I’ve missed this…” There was a look on his face that looked torn for a moment, but he shook his head and cleared his thoughts quickly. “Things are different, now, though. You’ve been dead for nearly a century, and your guild is no longer what it once was. Despite your wishes, I seem to have failed to keep Fairy Tail alive as you desired. Now, we exist as a dark guild, and our former guild hall is no more.”

The time startled her for a moment, but after taking a few deep breaths she slowly began to shake her head. “I don’t care. So long as they’re together, you did what I asked. Fairy Tail isn’t meant to be a place to follow rules…it is a place to find family and go on adventures. So long as that is still true…I don’t care if we’re a dark guild or a legitimate one.” She smiled up at him, seeing him smile in return. He reached out towards her, gently stroking her cheek with a hesitant touch.

“Such innocence…” Those words sounded very familiar to her ears, but she saw the smile associated with that comment too. “I had forgotten, what it was like to be around someone so forgiving. No one else sees me the way you do, and for that, I will always be by your side, until the very end.” He pressed his forehead to her own, letting his eyes drift shut as he inhaled deeply. That was how they sat for a few moments, just lost in the feeling of each other until something seemed to shatter behind them. A hinge creaked and a door burst open, and from that hole, four individuals came rushing out, followed by a massive cloud of black magic.


	82. Breaking Free

Instinctively, Zeref shoved Mavis behind him, quickly moving in between her and the death magic emanating from the people arriving at the top of the tower. At the same time, Jellal came running away, his eyes wide at the sight of the magic nearby. “What is this power? No, wait…I’ve seen this before…that wizard, the guild master of Fairy Tail, he’s here.” Jellal gazed back at them with a frown, before turning towards Zeref. His gaze had harshened into a glare, looking quite furious now that the shock was wearing off.

“However, that is not a concern of mine.” He grabbed Zeref and threw him towards the death magic. In response, Zeref quickly teleported away. Despite being Mavis, he realized that magic flowed far better within her body than it even did in his own. She had all the potential in the world, and she never once realized it. He ended up landing just beside Jellal once more, and this time, he glared at the blue haired wizard. “I’m not going to let her death be in vain! This dark magic, all of these things trying to enter my mind and influence my thoughts…I will kill you for them all!”

With his outburst, Jellal became a golden blur once more. Zeref felt Jellal manage to collide with him. He had expected it to be a speed based attack, but there was a lot of force behind Jellal’s motion. It sent Zeref flying back, making him collide with Mavis and sending them both sprawling onto the floor behind them. 

Sitting back up, Zeref planned to retaliate, but Jellal swirled around and came after him again. This time, he came dangerously close to the place where Erza must have been, surrounded by the black magic of his curse. Sliding across the surface of the tower, Zeref slowed his progress by grasping one of the passing pillars. It appeared to have been the sacrificial lacrima from before, but it didn’t matter anymore as he grimaced and rose back to his feet. A golden blur alerted him just soon enough to dodge, but he needed to do something to at least make Jellal hesitate.

Remembering a spell Mavis had shown him before, Zeref closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. While her spell had created images of animals to approach him, he altered it for his own needs. Monstrous figures seemed to appear, coming to life from his own memories. To his left, Deliora stood side by side with Lullaby, as if ready to battle. To his right, Mard Geer’s etherious form came to life, along with Tempester’s demonic form to add to the effect. Behind him, the rest of his strongest demons appeared, all of them looking vicious and cunning, ready for battle.

Seeing them, Jellal only smirked and hovered in the air for a moment. “I’ve eliminated the barrier to my magic while you were trapped within the Tower of Heaven. Now that I am at my full strength, do you truly think even this can stop me?” He laughed darkly, as if amused by Zeref’s actions.

Tilting his head, Zeref focused even more on the magic within this body. He could feel the restlessness of Fairy Heart in his veins, but he overlooked that in favor of drawing on the more natural power within her. Illusion magic was one step behind its ideal form, a true thought projection. There was more than enough power to bring these illusions to life, and with their basis on creatures that truly existed, Zeref could give them physical form to battle with. Jellal managed to quickly attack both Mard Geer and Tempester. The two demons flew backward, their forms falling off of the small battleground on the tower. With two eliminated, Jellal turned around with a grin and seemed to prepare himself to continue.

“No!” Zeref heard a girl’s shout, making him turn to see Mavis getting up and preparing to defend him. Startled, Zeref stopped in his actions, watching as she attempted to battle with the sword Erza normally wielded. The weapon was not nearly as graceful as the requip wizard’s normal strength, but Zeref noted that it did seem to have the same decisiveness and determination that he recalled from Mavis. Her heart went into that attack, but Jellal managed to dodge with ease. In retaliation, he used his full force to slam her back down into the tower.

Mavis groaned, and the sound made Zeref clench his teeth together. If that was how Jellal wanted this battle to go, he would gladly acquiesce. Around him, the air seemed to shudder with the force of his magical aura as he drew upon nearly all of Mavis’ normal power. Around him, more forms appeared, but they were no longer the demons he had been creating. Instead, an army of dragons appeared in the sky, hovering and awaiting his command. 

The visage of Igneel came swooping down on Jellal, who was watching with wide eyes. Narrowly, he dodged to the side, but that was when the thought projection of Skiadrum rushed in and grabbed the wizard between his claws. Retreating towards the shadows swiftly, Skiadrum managed to send Jellal slamming into the surface of the tower as the dragon vanished from sight to a place where the wizard saint could not go. Before another dragon could attack, however, Zeref stepped forward and gazed down at Jellal with a scowl.

“If you even consider harming Mavis again, I shall use whatever power is necessary to destroy you.” Jellal was staring with wide eyes, his gaze flickering across the army of dragons in the sky. By Zeref’s side, the demons seemed to crowd as well. Behind him, Loke, Irene, and Wendy all stayed close to each other, just barely beyond the reach of the black cloud around Erza. “As for your sacrifice, if you had not been so foolish you would have learned the truth. All of your effort…all of the sacrifices you’ve gone through and the pain you’ve suffered…I want you to know that it was for nothing. I want you to look at your past actions and be horrified at the person you are, because only then will you even come close to understanding the pain you’ve desired to inflict upon me. Realize how dark you are, regardless of if you are possessed or not, then imagine what life is like without the single person who believes in you. Imagine that life…and then, you will understand just a fraction of my own suffering.”

Jellal seemed to stutter for a moment, his golden magic dying out as he tried to scramble back from Zeref. “I—you can’t possible be serious. No one could possibly see good in you…no one that is on the path of the light. Perhaps my thoughts have been muddled, but I am seeing things clearly now. There is no greater villain than you…” Jellal touched his forehead with a grimace, likely feeling another attempt to persuade his thoughts back towards their former darkness.

“Zeref is not a villain.” Mavis stepped forward, smiling and folding her arms behind her back. She seemed to be recovering from Jellal’s attack rather quickly, but Zeref didn’t want to take any chances. “He’s just a person, a wizard who made a simple mistake. That’s really all any of us are, even the people we label as villains. Sometimes, we just need a push in the right direction, isn’t that right, Zeref?”

Mavis seemed to be looking for an answer, though it was odd to see such a bright expression on Erza’s face. Her arms were swinging slightly behind her back as she nearly closed all of the distance between them, leaving Zeref wishing for more space to move away. “I…Mavis, I told you before that this curse can still affect you.” He felt a slight pressure building in his head, a sign that he was too focused on this again. It had been coming on and off ever since he brought back Mavis, but the pain was worth it.

She sighed, shaking her head and taking a few steps back before turning towards Jellal. “Fine, I’ll listen for now. But…you have to promise me to bring me back to the guild when we’re done here! I wanna see all of my old friends, I bet Precht has missed me so much! Oh, and Yuri—“ Zeref turned away, frowning as she stopped at the expression on his face. Her smile faded, and slowly, she took another step back, as if something had dragged her foot away. “No…they…you said a century, so are they…?”

Mutely, Zeref nodded, though he added more to try and comfort her. “Most of them, yes. Makarov is still alive…though he was merely a child when you were last at the guild. As for Precht…I cannot say if he is alive or not, as he left the guild not long after your life was stolen from you.”

Silent tears were streaming down her cheeks, and Zeref left her to her own grief. Instead, he knelt down in front of Jellal, frowning as the man seemed to be trying to calm himself with deep breaths. “As for you…I suggest you stop attacking me, as I am the one in control of the only person capable of returning your queen to your side.” That made Jellal freeze, his gaze narrowing at Zeref.

“The Tower of Heaven has no more magic to give…accumulating that much power had been my life’s work, it cannot be done again.” 

Chuckling, Zeref shook his head and turned towards Irene. “Irene, I believe a slight alteration will be necessary. Can you switch three individuals with your enchantment, or are you limited to two?”

The enchantress frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. “Of course I can do three…your majesty?” A questioning tone made Zeref nod slightly, confirming his identity. “It’ll just take a little more time is all.” Glancing behind her, she scowled at the black magic near her. “I guess this means that we were traveling with that little brat this entire time. No wonder you ended up so tactless and out of control for a moment. However, I suppose my enchantments were enough to at least contain some of the blast, even if it didn’t stop it entirely.”

With that, Irene raised her hands towards them. Jellal watched in confusion as Mavis and Zeref both began to illuminate with a pure white light, filling the air around their bodies. Within the cloud of darkness, a slight hint of white became visible, shining throughout the shadows and peeking its way out towards them. As the light grew, the sensation of tugging returned to Zeref. He remembered feeling this before, when Jellal first attempted to bring him back to life with the R-System. This time, he did not resist as he was pulled away from this body and lifted back into his own. Unlike the tower, this spell was a much quicker way of switching the souls within multiple bodies. Before long, he found himself gazing out in a sea of darkness, feeling mildly tired as the magic slowly faded away.

“You know, I feel like we didn’t really do anything here.” Loke glanced towards Wendy with a frown. “Why did he even take us along?”

The sky dragon slayer turned towards Zeref, who ran a hand through his far lighter hair. “I’m not sure…maybe he just wanted someone to distract him from Irene?” Both of them turned towards the scarlet haired enchantress and shuddered slightly. “She didn’t seem all that kind…”

Snorting, Loke crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. “Yeah, she was even immune to my charms. It’s a shame I didn’t get the chance to woo her sooner on the boat ride here, but she was far too focused on worshipping Zeref for me to do so.”

Looking a bit uncomfortable, Wendy sighed and shook her head. “I don’t think that’s what I meant…” 

Smiling, Loke patted her back and nodded. “Of course, a young lady like you doesn’t need to understand such things. However, love will blossom one day for me, hopefully with a far more amazing woman like Sherry…or maybe Taylor…or how about—“ Zeref tuned out the list of Loke’s lovers, hoping he hadn’t actually attempted to seduce Irene. Just imaging that left him horrified, wondering how bad the battle had been on the rest of their journey up to the top of the tower. The world likely wasn’t ready for that, to see just how overwhelmed Loke had been in the presence of such a wizard.

Turning towards Erza and Mavis, Zeref watched as both woman seemed to recover quickly from the spell. Erza placed a hand to her chest, shaking her head with a grimace as her other hand rose to touch her head. “I never imagined such a pain before…I cannot believe the suffering our Master endures on a daily basis.” Her gaze flickered open towards Zeref, nodding quickly with a strict look. “You have always held my respect, Master, but only now do I see how truly deserving of it you are. I urge you, focus on your mission to free yourself from that curse, before you go mad from the pain.”

Uncertain if it was too late for that or not, Zeref simply nodded. By Erza’s side, Mavis smiled brightly and nodded. “Of course he will! After all, I still have a promise to keep, and I’ve already spent too much time making Zeref wait for me. A hundred years…” Her voice went distant as a haunted look entered her gaze. Then, she shook her head and her smile returned, though it wasn’t quite as bright as before. “I can’t imagine making him suffer that long, and it is about time I did something about it.”

Flabbergasted, Jellal interrupted the sweet moment by leaping between them all, standing in the center of the tower. “Wait! Just how…what just happened?”

Lifting an eyebrow, Zeref approached him and picked up the white king yet again. “Often times, people mistake a fallen king for a dead king. When a king is dethroned, his power is lost, and his actions are forgotten. The river of time flows on, and history writes off his deeds, both good and bad, as the actions of a simple ghost. No one ever wishes to see a dark ghost’s return to life, and no one wishes to believe the ghost had always existed in the first place. In the future, I would advise against believing every tale you hear about history. Historians make mistakes, and often times, reality is far simpler to see than one might think.”

Tossing the king through the air, Zeref watched as Jellal caught the piece, his eyes wide. “You were always Zeref. We were right all along, yet I…no, we, pushed to grant you freedom. Ultear…she told me it was impossible. Why?” Grasping his hair tightly, Jellal seemed to struggle with seeing the truth.

“Perhaps she has been by your side for longer than you thought. Possession isn’t a type of magic I am particularly skilled at, after all.” Turning around, Zeref let his hands cross behind his back and moved to join the rest of his guild. Behind him, Mavis eagerly followed after, her arms swinging by her sides as she stuck close to Zeref. However, Erza remained where she stood for a few more moments.

Waiting by the entrance, Zeref glanced back to see the requip wizard slowly taking a step towards Jellal. “Possession? Now I see….I should have seen it long ago, now that I recall our childhood.” Her hand clenched into a fist, and she slowly shook her head. “Perhaps one day, you could forgive me for my oversight? If I had been here…if I had never left, I could have freed you sooner.”

Her eyes clenched tightly shut, mimicking her hands. In front of her, Jellal’s gaze seemed to soften, his hand reaching out and gently grasping a single strand of her hair in between his fingers. “It is not you who needs forgiveness, Erza.” He let the strand slide between his fingers, slowly releasing it into the air. “One day, I will atone for my sins. Then, I shall return to your side as a better man. Until then…I think it is time for the king to finally fall, and leave his kingdom to his queen.” Jellal’s gaze flickered over towards Zeref, giving him a small smile. “I may not understand entirely what you’ve done to free me…nor do I care to waste time understanding your actions, but I do know that I owe you my gratitude. Please, take care of Erza for me.”

Nodding, Zeref kept his expression impassive as Jellal gave him a slight smile. With one last look towards Erza, he began walking towards the edge of the tower, his body illuminating with golden light. He jumped off, plunging towards the water below and vanishing from sight. Erza remained by the edge of the tower, watching the waves crash against the base of the tower below them until Zeref came to her side, pulling her away. It was time for both of them to leave this place behind, and move on from their pasts. The future awaited them both, and with Mavis back, Zeref knew that someone would finally be by his side that would manage to convince him to actually take Natsu’s advice and begin to melt away the hardened shell of ice he had placed around his heart so many years ago.


	83. Breaking Free

The return to the guild was sudden, though Zeref had left Irene at the tower. She had insisted on finding her own way back to Alvarez, and Zeref wasn’t going to argue with her over such a simple matter. He had teleported the rest of them directly back to the guild, though it had taken quite a bit of his magical power. Zeref had forgotten just how far away the R-System had been, and as a result, he spent far too much energy on bringing them back.

Arriving in Oshibana, the five of them appeared directly in the center of the guild hall, startling everyone within. Zeref had landed directly onto one of the long tables within, and Mavis stumbled slightly with only one foot on top of it. Reaching out, Zeref grabbed her arm and pulled her upright, though he did hear a muffled cry as someone else tumbled over. Glancing to his left, Zeref saw that Wendy had actually fallen off, landing on Loke who stumbled back to try and catch both of them from collapsing on the ground.

Around them, the guild seemed to have gone still. Cana held a mug half-way to her lips, blinking at them for a moment. By her side, Makarov stared with his jaw dropped open at the girl standing by his side. After a moment, he closed his mouth and his shoulders seemed to shake slightly even though no sound came from him. By the bar, Mira frowned at the commotion and stopped, holding a serving tray to her dress with a frown. Sitting at the table to Zeref’s right, Lucy and Lisanna turned around and frowned. The blond whispered something to the other girl, who said something in reply while pointing towards Mavis. Afterwords, Lucy couldn’t seem to look away from the First Master along with the rest of the guild.

Footsteps grew loud and became the focus of Zeref’s attention, as there was no other noise to really hear at the moment. Glancing towards the doorway that led to the staircase, Zeref saw Natsu coming through, dragging Levy behind him. “I smell him! Zeref’s back, you gotta come out here and talk to him!” 

Frowning, Zeref observed as the girl struggled to free herself from Natsu’s grip. She looked uncomfortable and irritated, scowling when Natsu finally released her directly in front of the table next to Zeref and Mavis. “I don’t think that’s really necessary, Natsu. I didn’t even—“ 

“Come on, just talk to him already!” Natsu cut her off impatiently. “We’ve been getting a head start on fulfilling that promise I made to you, Zeref. Levy’s been showing me all those books you have upstairs, and I figured one of them should tell us something about your curse, right?”

“Are you back on that again, flame brain?” Gray shouted from across the room, scowling and shaking his head. “Zeref spends more time in that room than anyone else in the guild. If there was some kind of magical solution to his curse in this place, he would have found it by now.”

Glaring at the black haired wizard, Natsu approached Gray instead. “Oh yeah? Well, I’d like to see you try and end his curse then!”

“I’m sure I’d do a million times better than an idiot like you!”

“Well, at least I can keep my clothes on while I look for a cure, you stripper!”

Watching the two of them argue was beginning to give Zeref a slight pain in his neck. Having to turn his head to gaze at each boy as they spoke was irritating, so he settled with simply listening after a moment. “If we’re dealing with something so important, who the hell cares if I’ve got clothes on or not?”

“You make me sick, you pervert!”

“And you make me feel like my brain cells went and died, idiot!”

With a harsh glare on her face, Erza came forward and stood between both of them. “Both of you, that is enough.” Flames seemed to be dancing around Natsu now, as he glared at Gray from his spot in the guild.

“Tell him that my plan will work, then!”

“No, tell him that reading books Zeref has already gone through is just a waste of time!”

This time, Erza looked like she had lost her patience. She grabbed both boys, slamming them into each other and then throwing them onto the ground in front of her. Startled, they both stared at her with wide eyes as Erza placed her hands on her hips. “Now, both of you are going to be getting along from here on out. I may not entirely know who this newcomer is, but I am familiar with you, Gray, and I expect better things from you.”

“Yes ma’am.” They both replied in unison, the fight ending in an instant.

By his side, Mavis was frowning and studying the people that had been talking in the guild. “He said he was trying to break your curse.” Zeref nodded, frowning as Mavis did the same. “Does he realize just how difficult that task will be?” Another nod was his response again. With that, she seemed to smile slightly and jump down from the table, walking over to Natsu with her hands clasped behind her back. “Alright then, I think I’m going to like you a lot. You want to help Zeref, right?”

The boy blinked at her, his eyes wide as he sniffed the air around her. His gaze shifted between her and Zeref, before a toothy grin spread across his face. “Hell yes, I do. After all, he’s my brother, so I kinda have to help him out. That’s what family does, right?” 

That startled Mavis, making her green eyes flash towards Zeref. “Brother? That’s…but Zeref’s almost three hundred…no wait, four hundred years old.” She barely caught her slip, but Zeref noticed. She was still adjusting to her new reality, to the fact that she had been dead for so many years. 

“Of course, that’s why he’s all depressed all the time. He keeps going on about how all these people die around him, so we’ve gotta work to fix that, right?” Scratching his head, Natsu frowned as the others just stared at him. “I thought it was obvious, but maybe I was wrong. Either way, I’m glad you’re back around. Zeref hasn’t been able to stop talking about you since the day I met him, actually.”

That made Zeref shake his head, almost snorting at the boy’s words. “I’ve discussed many other matters, Natsu. You simply fail to pay attention to most of what I have to say.”

Waving him off, Natsu turned back towards Mavis. “Yeah, well, you keep talking about boring stuff like how magic works. Even when you start talking about your curse instead, it just gets too repetitive, don’t ya think?” 

Looking amused, Mavis laughed at their conversation and shook her head. “I didn’t realize Zeref’s brother was still alive! It is a pleasure to meet you, I’m Mavis Vermillion, Fairy Tail’s first guild master.” With that, the frozen state of the guild seemed to finally break.

“Master!”

“She’s finally returned.”

“Now that’s the power of a real man!”

“She’s gotta have a drink with me to celebrate!”

Shouts echoed around them as wizards rushed to crowd Mavis. Looking startled, Mavis seemed to pull her arms in closer to her body, her shoulders hunching over slightly as people attempted to smother her in a massive group hug. However, her green eyes began to grow wide, more panicked every second she was trapped within them. Seeing her state, Zeref quickly shouted above the noise. “Get away from her, now!”

People turned towards him with surprise in their gazes, but slowly, they began to listen to his request. The crowd began to disperse, just as Mavis’ magic was unleashed. A wave of darkness crashed over the center of the guild. It came just inches away from stealing away the lives of Alzack and Bisca. On the other side of the guild, Laki pressed herself against the wall to avoid being hit with the black magic. Reedus rushed for the stairs, with Jet and Droy following quickly after. Jet blasted past both of them, dashing off with a puff of dust using his magic.

“It appears as if you were telling the truth. I wonder how the Council never realized it…how we never once saw that Fairy Tail’s founder was cursed with such dark magic.” Lahar watched in amazement, coming to stand by Zeref’s side. “Regardless, I suppose I should congratulate you on your success. However…I can’t help but wonder, just what is it that you plan on doing now? Everyone claims the next step is to end your curse, but based on what I understand of you…that doesn’t necessarily align with your own goals.”

Strangely, Lahar’s understanding wasn’t bothering Zeref like it usually did. Something about the man wasn’t quite as judgmental as others were, despite the fact that he held such a strong sense of justice. “I cannot say for certain…to be quite honest, I didn’t expect to reach this point. So many attempts to save Mavis failed…with how everything continued going on, I truly believed I’d find a method to end my own life before finding a way to save hers.”

“I’d suggest listening to them, if you are uncertain. You may not see them this way, but they do care for you as if you were one of their closest friends. After spending some time at your guild, I’ve come to see that Fairy Tail is far more than I originally imagined…and with that, I’d like to apologize.” That surprised Zeref, making him raise an eyebrow towards the rune knight captain. “Everything I did…I worked so hard to destroy your guild. In reality, all I was doing was tearing apart a family in a misguided sense of justice. I wished to serve my country, to have the strength to protect our citizens, but taking down a place like this will not accomplish those goals. Maybe one day I’ll find a better way to help Fiore become stronger…because at the moment, I no longer feel as if being a rune knight is the correct path for myself.”

The black magic seemed to be dying down around Mavis, though some strands still lingered in the air. “That is not necessarily true, Captain. Perhaps what the rune knights need is not to be disbanded, but to be reformed. There is no better place to work about change than from within your own government…my own decisions have been altered at times due to the influence of my generals, and you could do the same for the magic council. Keep in mind, it is your own position that allowed you to gain a trial for me, and it is also your position that allows you to decide which of my actions are deserving of the judgement of Fiore, and which are not. Without it, I believe things would have turned out far differently, so do not take your position so lightly.”

Closing his eyes, Lahar let out a slight chuckle under his breath. “Never once did I expect you to be the one trying to talk me into keeping my job. It is just a sign that things are changing…as such, just do me a favor and at least consider all of your options first, Zeref. Death may seem like your only option, but much like myself, it would not do your guild any good for you to take your position as their master lightly.”

With that, Lahar seemed to walk off into the guild. He took a seat next to Lucy, who seemed to have remained far calmer than most of the members of the guild. Observing them, Zeref couldn’t help but frown and ponder his words. There were many options available, but only two paths seemed to be his focus. Now that Mavis was back, he could return to his original goal of finding death once and for all. The thought was actually a pleasant idea, thinking about a place where no more suffering came to him. However, that was not the path everyone else wished for him to take.

Gazing out amongst them, Zeref saw Natsu studying Mavis closely. The two of them were the only ones who stood a chance of understanding, but even they did not see the depths of his pain. Mavis had begun to relate, but she did not have the centuries of suffering he had, nor had her thoughts been clouded by the curse like his own. Her bright innocent light would be corrupted by his shadows if he remained, that much he was certain of.

“No…it’s already coming back…I don’t want it to…I can’t…” Mavis sounded horrified as she gazed fearfully around herself. These people might have been strangers to her, but it was still Fairy Tail, and Zeref knew it would always seem like they were a part of her family.

In front of her, Natsu knelt down before Zeref could move to try and comfort her. “Like I said, we’re going to end that curse, right?” She sniffled, blinking at him for a moment. “Until then, just do what Zeref does, and let us get the work done for you. Levy was reading a lot of books upstairs, she has to have learned something.”

“Actually…” Levy finally managed to speak up after being dragged out here. “I was trying to tell you before. Those books didn’t have any information about a single curse even remotely similar to what we’re dealing with. Based on what I understand, we should be looking for some kind of ancient text for answers, and Eisenwald didn’t have any of those stored away for use.”

Rising to her feet, Mavis slowly began to nod and smile towards them. “Right…then let’s get to work. Starting today, our mission is to find a way to end Ankhseram’s Curse. If the library in the guild isn’t enough to answer our questions, then we’ll look to the library in town. If that has nothing, then we will travel as far as it takes to find our answer. In every book is a new adventure, and new things to learn…no matter how long it takes, we will find something that tells the tale of our curse, and of others that have been trapped with the same fate.”


	84. Banned Secrets

Book after book, library after library, the guild searched for an answer. Zeref lost track of where everyone had gone to look for a cure a week ago, yet he felt like they were no closer than when they had begun. With how scattered they were, Zeref was almost certain that they no longer even looked like a guild to others. Lahar still remained in Oshibana, as did Natsu, but others had paired up into teams to go looking. Romeo, Wendy, Wakaba and Macao returned to Magnolia. Gray and Loke had gone to Hargeon. Erza and Mira had traveled out of the country, seeking answers in Bosco. Lisanna, Levy, and Lucy all went to Oak Town to search for a cure. If that wasn’t enough, Cana went with Makarov to see if any of them could sense a lingering trace of magic within Tenrou Island that could help. That place was their ancestral home, and somewhere within those ruins was the place where Mavis had found enough knowledge to identify his curse. Out of all the groups, Zeref couldn’t help but feel as if they had the greatest chance of success.

As a result, Zeref found himself feeling quite bored here. Mavis was in the library with him, Lahar, and Natsu, reading books eagerly. He watched her at times, often finding himself distracted from his own work. She would get a rather endearing smile on her face every time she read a particularly interesting book. Based on her reactions, however, he was fairly certain it wasn’t a book concerning magic, though. When she closed it and rose to her feet, humming under her breath, Zeref caught a glimpse of the cover. Something about fairies…along with the cover art of said mythical creature in flight. 

Chuckling under his breath, Zeref returned his focus to his own book. Most libraries didn’t even contain books on curses. Since they were viewed as dark magic, the Council had banned use of them around the same time that they banned wizard guilds from participating in wars. It was meant to be for everyone’s safety, but many wizards had still attempted to utilize them against their enemies regardless. Peace had been unstable at that time in history, with the trade wars just coming to an end as a result of the newly formed treaty. Most wizards still wished to fight, and they decided curses had been a way to work around their inability to attack someone directly.

Realizing that their ban had not stopped anything, the Council took another step to prevent that dark magic from being used. By that time, Zeref had lost count of how many wizards ended up imprisoned for curse casting, but the result was still devastating for the world’s knowledge base on magic. They sent the rune knights to every library throughout Fiore, demanding that they collect any book that contained any information, no matter how small, on curses. Even non-spell books were gathered, simply because within a fictional account, they informed the public about the effects of some curse. 

After gathering all of the books, the Council had them destroyed so that no one could utilize curses again. While it did have a delayed effect in the public, eventually, curses became obscure and unpopular. Now, only legends and myths told of ways to cast them. The only way to find information on such spells would be in ruins of ancient civilizations, or in the homes of people who had managed to hide their books from the Council’s rune knights during the search. Few remained, and Zeref had not seen any in a very long time.

The book he was currently reading, as a result, did not describe curses. According to the title, it was meant to give a detailed account of the gods and what they did for the world. After reading only a single chapter, Zeref decided that he found this book to be quite inaccurate. A brief introduction described Ankhseram as a forgiving and kind god, who cared for every soul, both living and dead. According to the book, it is believed that the god cries a single tear for every death in the world, leaving the god in a constant state of sobbing helplessly in his realm.

With that ridiculous notion beginning the book, Zeref really didn’t think he would gain much knowledge from it. Hence the reason why he was constantly glancing around after reading a single page in the book. Shaking his head, he shut the book with a sigh and moved to at least attempt to find something that could be considered educational, and not pure fiction. Instead, he selected a book that detailed the magical theory behind enchantment magic. At the moment, it was the closest approximation to curses that Zeref would be able to find in Oshibana.

He had done this before, though he couldn’t exactly pinpoint when. For a brief moment, he had hope that he could end his curse. Then…he couldn’t quite remember what happened. Someone had been killed…maybe it had been an old friend of his, or someone he viewed as too innocent that hadn’t deserved to be harmed. His patience vanished, and he found that his suffering would still exist, even if his curse did not. Instead, he went down a much darker path, returning to his research on the Etherious, and ultimately designing a path that was meant to destroy even an immortal life.

Oddly, he couldn’t seem to recall that memory quite clearly. Most of the tragedies in his past remained with him, while other memories blurred together. Perhaps he had witnessed too many for his mind to continue storing more away. The thought left him somewhat chilled as he sighed and opened the new book to start reading. This research wouldn’t complete itself, and with even Natsu working harder than him, he decided it was about time he actually did something here. Hopefully, they would all be finished soon, because at the moment, he was beginning to feel the same way he had felt back then. He had suffered long enough, and now, he didn’t care how he got peace, so long as the pain ended with him.

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In Magnolia, things seemed to have changed quite a bit. The town itself was back to normal, with all of the excitement dying down quickly from when Fairy Tail had left. Rune knights were no longer scattered within the streets, and they even seemed to have gained a new attraction. Wendy had heard that apparently, if you went down Market Street, you would arrive at the Haunted Wall, or at least, that’s what people were calling it. Some barrier was there that blocked anyone from passing, and it kind of became a test of strength for the people visiting. As Wendy walked passed it, she smiled at the sight of a young boy punching his hand into the air. Within, she blinked in surprise at the sight of purple lettering floating in the air. The non-wizards of Magnolia had failed to realize that the entire thing was just an enchantment that someone seemed to have forgotten about.

“Dad, can I go try breaking the Haunted Wall? I wanna show them that a wizard can do amazing things for this town, especially after everything that happened.” Romeo sounded eager as he glanced up at his father for an answer.

Chuckling, Macao rubbed the kid’s hair and nodded. “Sure thing, kid, just don’t go breaking your hand on the thing.” With that, Romeo went rushing off towards the crowd. Wakaba remained by Macao’s side, but after a moment of debate, Wendy followed after Romeo.

“Wait!” Romeo paused, glancing back at her with a slight smile. “That wall isn’t what they think it is. Do you see that writing up there?”

Wendy pointed to the purple letters floating above their heads. Gazing at it, Romeo’s eyes went wide and he seemed to cheer for a moment. “That’s awesome! Someone made a permanent wall in Magnolia with magic!” He rushed back towards Macao without even trying to break the wall. “Dad, I think Freed was here recently. That wall looks like one of his enchantments.”

“Sure thing, kid.” Macao looked amused, but after a moment he sighed and shook his head. “Either way, we’ve got our work cut out for us. Finding a way to end a curse that was created four hundred years ago…not exactly how I planned on spending my day, that’s for sure.”

Pulling the pipe out of his mouth, Wakaba smirked and nodded. “You said it. I say that while we’re here, we should leave the kids to entertain themselves and go…sightseeing.” His gaze flickered towards the other side of the street. Wendy followed his gaze, frowning as two teenagers seemed to be walking along. One of them said something that made her companion laugh.

“No way, we’re all in this to help Master, right?” Romeo sounded so eager. He grabbed his father’s hand, smiling brightly. “It might take a while, but we’ve got plenty of time, and I’ve gotten a lot stronger since the last time we were here. This mission will be easy for us, I’m sure of it!”

“You heard the kid, Wakaba. I say we head back to the guild while we’re here. You know that the Master kept all kinds of creepy things in that basement of his…maybe he had something on the curse down there?” Macao began moving towards Fairy Tail’s former home, but Wendy paused with a frown.

“Um…if he already had something on the curse, wouldn’t it be pointless for us to read it?” She toyed with her hands in front of her dress and stared at the ground. “I’m sorry…I just didn’t think it’d be that useful to us.”

Shaking his head, Wakaba snorted and pushed his pipe into the corner of his mouth again. “Listen, kid, do you really think he’s read every book in that place? Fairy Tail had its own library too. Maybe we’ll find something he missed…or maybe we’ll at least find something that points us in the right direction.”

“Exactly.” Macao smiled as Wendy began walking behind them, with Romeo by her side. “You’re a smart kid, but us grown-ups have to be in charge of the planning, alright? We’ve got a few more years behind us, and our experience will let us manage to get through this mission with success.”

Smiling over at her, Romeo patted Wendy’s shoulder. “You’ll get used to it. My dad’s kinda weird, but he’s still family. Anyway, he still makes me proud. He’s a wizard, and so am I…and because of that, we can do great things, like help our Master finally find his freedom.”

“Right.” Wendy smiled at all of them, excited to be on this mission with their odd little group. “You know, I’m really glad I joined this guild. All of you are so kind to me…it feels almost like it did when I was with Grandeeney.” With that, her smiled lessened slightly, but it didn’t vanish entirely. While she still missed Grandeeney, she had new friends by her side and a new mission to focus on. Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad if she stopped searching for her lost mother. She wouldn’t ever stop missing Grandeeney, but Zeref had said she vanished for a reason. With that, she could trust that her mother would return one day, and that things would be better because Grandeeney had finished a mission of her own.

They found themselves walking up a hill, finding that the path towards the former Fairy Tail guild hall was oddly crowded. From what Wendy understood, that place had been destroyed and should have been in ruins. However, when they neared the top of the hill, Wendy found that it was not the case. Something big had happened in Magnolia recently, and Wendy hadn’t even realized it until now. Where Fairy Tail once stood, a new guild was now built. Seeing a triangular shaped logo that looked like a vicious wildcat, Wendy approached the guild and saw the name printed above the newly hung banner. Sabertooth had replaced Magnolia’s former guild, and coming outside to greet them were two boys that looked almost like total opposites. The brightest boy with blond hair crossed his arms over his chest, while the one dressed in black with dark hair seemed to cling to the shadows behind him. Uncertain of what to do, Wendy and the rest of her group stopped and stared at the others, all of them waiting for someone to make the first move.  


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Loke and Gray were getting rather bored in Hargeon. The port city was popular, receiving the majority of the traffic into Fiore from other nations. Anyone wishing to travel by boat to Fiore had to come through one of the five port cities, and out of those, Hargeon had always been the largest. As a result, the majority of the businesses in town were focused on tourism. Most shops sold small trinkets and t-shirts for visiting people, while the more common businesses were hidden away deeper into the city. 

It had been odd to find that only one magic shop existed in this place, but Gray didn’t really care to look at it anyway. Loke hadn’t either, so they quickly moved on to finding the only library in this place. “Is this really it?” Loke sounded rather surprised, and Gray didn’t blame them. The building they stood before looked like it couldn’t be much larger than someone’s shed. A wooden sign had been planted into the ground, with the words Hargeon Library painted on it in black writing. Some of the paint seemed to have dripped when drying, leaving trails of it leaking towards the bottom of the sign and smearing the letters.

Shrugging, Gray pushed the door open. “I guess so. Either way, it just makes our jobs easier. The sooner we get this done with, the sooner we can get back, right?”

Nodding in agreement, Loke followed him inside. “Of course. Though, I didn’t think you were in any rush to get back to the place where Natsu was at. The two of you don’t get along, do you?”

“He’s a fire wizard, we’re not supposed to get along.” He said it as if it was obvious, but there was a slight smile on his face. Natsu was the first guy he had met in a long time that seemed like he could challenge Gray in a fight. The guy’s magic was amazing, yet he didn’t even seem to try to make it that way. “I guess we kinda have to, though. He is the master’s brother, after all.”

Smiling, Loke nodded and ran a hand through his hair. “That he is. I still find it strange, though. Considering how old Master is, just how is his brother still alive?”

“Like we’ll ever find out. If Zeref wants to keep something a secret, you’ll never find the answer. That’s something I picked up pretty quickly within the guild.” It had taken Gray a long time to finally hear that Zeref was the one responsible for creating Deliora. The man probably hadn’t even realized Gray had a connection to the demon, until he asked Zeref about how to free Ur. While he knew now that it just wasn’t possible to do without killing her, back then, he still had hope. Seeing how knowledgeable their master was about almost any kind of magic, he had believed Zeref could help so he told the man his story.

That story had seemed to make Zeref uncomfortable, but he never really explained why. All he told Gray was that he would look into it, and that he was free to use their library to do the same. Eventually, Gray found a history book in that library, hoping that maybe sometime in the past, a person had come across the same issue and fixed it. Instead, he saw a detailed account of some village destroyed by Deliora, long before his own tragedy occurred. It called the monster a demon from one of the books of Zeref. Recognizing the name, he confronted their master for an answer.

He had been about eight at the time, if he remembered it properly. “What is this?” Zeref had blinked at him, frowning in confusion. “Why did you lie to me? You created that monster, it’s your fault that Ur died!”

The guild had grown quiet at his outburst, though Cana still had enough snark to break it. “Put on some clothes if you’re going to run around like that!”

Glaring at her, Gray snapped. “Shut up! I don’t care about that, I care about this.” Gray waved a book in the air, practically shoving it into Zeref’s face. Opening it once more, he pointed to the line that talked about the demon. “Why…why would you make a demon…?” His voice was much quieter with this last question. Tears were welling in his eyes, but he tried to fight them back. His shoulders shook, and the hands gripping the book seemed to tremor and make the pages shake.

Gently, Zeref grabbed the book from Gray’s hand and set it aside. “Why would anyone create a demon?” The master had turned his question right back towards him.

“I don’t know…” By his sides, Gray’s hands clenched into fists as his anger returned to over wash his sorrow. “What I do know is that it’s wrong! Demons destroyed my life, that monster took everything away from me! Yet, you just stand there, smiling like it’s no big deal. Are you happy that your demon destroys the world? Does it please you to know that you’re responsible for killing so many?” He had not yet learned of Zeref’s curse, since the man had chosen to at least shield Gray from some of the darker secrets of the guild. If he had known, maybe he would have chosen different words to say at that point.

Gray expected the man to get angry in return, to shout and yell just like he was. He wanted to fight someone, to find an outlet for his anger. However, the guild master only closed his eyes, with a slight frown on his face. “I cannot say either way. The guilt I feel…it has been with me for so long that I almost don’t even notice it anymore. However, the anger I feel is always noticed. Part of me desires to make this world suffer, though I have managed to suppress that desire since becoming a part of this guild.” Zeref had glanced around, sighing before gazing down at Gray. “Deliora is one of many demons I created, Gray. To put it simply, I wished to kill a horrendous monster that could not be stopped in this world.”

That made Gray pause, his glare fading slightly as he frowned. “A…a monster? What kind of monster makes you need a demon to kill it?”

Turning towards him, Zeref flashed him a dark grin that seemed to make his eyes become more malicious than before. “A monster like me. We all have our own battles to fight, Gray. What happened to you…I will not deny responsibility for it, however, there is little I can do to reverse it. The dead are not meant to return to life, and as for your master…we shall see what we can discover.”

Part of him wanted to hate Zeref, to blame the man for everything. Yet, somehow, hearing Zeref call himself a monster had stopped him. Did his Master really hate himself that much? Seeing that, Gray couldn’t help but think of himself. He had blamed himself for so long, seeing his own weakness as the reason for Ur’s death. Now, he was seeing that maybe guilt wasn’t the best thing to focus on. All he could do was try and move forward, instead of focusing on the past like Zeref was doing at that time. His Master had been right; the past was done with, and all he could do was focus on the future.

Shaking his head free of the memory, Gray glanced around at the place they stood in. It was just as small as it had looked outside, with only a single shelf only half-filled with books. They leaned over on each other, supporting their weight on the sides of the shelf. A few seemed to have fallen over completely, leaving some shelves looking cluttered with the various books contained within. A single table was placed inside, though the wooden chairs didn’t look all that sturdy. When Gray sat at it, he noticed that the table itself seemed to wobble when he put pressure on the edge. At the front desk, their librarian seemed to be sleeping instead of focused on them. 

The last time he had been in a library, Gray had found the one method to break iced shell. He disliked that memory, so he blocked it from coming into his mind. To free Ur, he would essentially have to kill her in the process. His master wasn’t coming back, so it was time to move on. At least now he could help out someone who had shown Gray the results of focusing too much on the past. Without Zeref, Gray never would have been able to move on so easily, and for that, he owed his master everything even if Zeref didn’t realize it.


	85. Unexpected Allies

In Bosco, Erza and Mira had already discovered that other countries were not fun to be in. When walking through the streets, Erza could only feel disgust as she watched men leading around others like slaves. She had forgotten that slave trade was legal in this country. If she had considered that, she might not have come to this place. 

Even in the library, Erza felt a distinct discomfort at her surroundings. At the front counter appeared to be a normal employee, but stocking the shelves, Erza saw familiar bands wrapped around the worker’s wrists. Cuffs marking each slave existed throughout the country, and all of them seemed to wear ragged or dirty clothes. Never once had she heard them speak, but she could see the emptiness in their eyes, and she knew exactly how they all felt. That hopelessness, it would eat away at them until there was nothing left.

As such, she did her best to only look at the book before her. Bosco seemed to have only limited details about curses, but it was a place to start. In her first selection, Erza had found a book detailing the basic principles of what curses were meant to do. Essentially, a spell was placed on someone to cause some effect repeatedly over a period of time. That left a broad range of spells that could be considered curses, so it added in one extra term. The effect is meant to have a negative impact on the victim, which is what differentiates a curse from an enchantment.

Seeing that, it actually made Erza consider the possibility that her master’s curse had been misclassified. Some people could view it as a benefit, depending on their mindset. Immortality and incredibly powerful magic were beneficial, if someone could control it. However, most people should be smart enough to see it as a curse. She just didn't know for sure, so she and Mira had divided the work. While Erza focused on the curses, Mira was looking into enchantments to see if something similar was described in those books.

As a result, the two of them had actually split up. Much more knowledge existed on enchantments than on curses, so Erza had moved on from the port town much quicker than Mira had. The other wizard had stated that if she didn’t find anything there, she planned to return back to the guild. After all, knowledge on enchantments could be found almost anywhere, and those spells were usually common enough that different books would not change the knowledge gained from them.

She had been expecting a quiet evening, reading books and avoiding the construction areas which really pushed her limits of self-control. However, as she moved to check out one book and return back to her hotel room, she spotted someone she never expected to see here. In the street, just outside of the library, a hooded figure walked past. For a moment, Erza could have sworn she got a glimpse of blue hair, and a familiar marking around one of his eyes.

Dropping the book on the counter, Erza rushed outside to see if she was correct. Scanning the streets, she quickly spotted the familiar figure. Reaching upward, she grabbed his hood and yanked it down quickly. The man spun around in response, his hands reaching to grab his hood as it fell. However, he froze with wide eyes at the sight of Erza in the streets. His black eyes gazed towards her, while Erza stared at the familiar face of Jellal.

“I did not expect to find you here, Erza. I had thought your guild was back in Fiore.” 

He glanced away from her, recovering quickly and avoiding her eyes. “It is…we are looking to help Zeref now.” She said it hesitantly, unsure of his mindset on the man anymore. Back at the tower, he had seemed to angry and confused. Now, she wasn’t so sure. Master had told her that it had been a powerful possession spell, but time had worn it down and rendered it weak. Simply seeing that his dream was nothing but an impossibility had been enough to break it after so many years of being under someone else’s control.

He nodded, frowning slightly. “I see. This country has little that can help with that, I’m afraid.” He rubbed the back of his head slightly, closing his eyes for a moment. “Actually, I was looking into something similar here. After everything that had happened…to be honest, it all just feels like another person’s actions at the moment. The things I said and did…the way I treated you all…I don’t think I’ll ever move past it. So, I decided to look into that odd dark magic that seemed to be almost impossible to control. It was a distraction, at least, to help calm my mind”

That brought back the memory of that horrible pain. Her entire body had been throbbing with energy, but the focus of the pain had centralized in her head. She had always known that when Master grabbed his forehead, it meant his magic was about to be unleashed, but she had not realized the reason behind the gesture. Her head had felt like it was about to explode from the building pressure, and she could not even recall if she had been able to scream or not from the pain.

Shuddering, she glanced away. “What did you find?” She didn’t want to reveal too much. This was not her secret to tell, after all.

“Nothing good, Erza. Death magic is dangerous enough as it is…if I were you, I’d be careful around him. I don’t know what he does to control it, nor do I know how strong his control is, but…I don’t want to see you getting hurt because of his power.” 

A warmth filled her, hearing that a part of him still cared. Glancing away, Erza grabbed her arm and smiled slightly. “I appreciate your concern…but it won’t be necessary. I…I can’t say much about our Master, but I will tell you that we are looking for a way to eliminate the power you witnessed last week.” Jellal focused on her, nodding.

“Eliminate it? So…you seek to take away his magic?” Blinking, Erza shook her head.

“Of course not! Without magic, our Master would…he would…” Her outburst had been sudden, but she couldn’t think of a proper response. For a wizard, magic was vital to survival. Removing it entirely would result in death, something that had been shown in more severe cases of Magic Deficiency Disease. “Regardless of if it would help or not…it isn’t possible.”

Jellal nodded in agreement, smiling towards her. “I agree. So, what do you intend to do?”

It wasn’t her place to tell, but Erza couldn’t help it. Jellal had been with her for her entire life. They had grown up together, facing the same horrors side by side. Maybe he did hurt her, but it had never been his fault. “I…it is complicated.” She gazed at him for a moment, studying his expression. “The spell controlling you, it is completely gone, correct?”

“Of course. I am free from that horrible darkness now…though the shadows will always linger, I think.” He looked uncomfortable, glancing away and taking a deep breath. “If you are concerned about revealing too much, it is perfectly fine, Erza. I understand…I understand that I’ve broken any friendship we may have once had. I deceived you, tricked you, and intended to sacrifice your life for a misguided dream. There is no one who has hurt you more than I have, Erza, and for that, I will never be forgiven. I will leave you to find answers in peace.”

He turned to leave, but Erza couldn’t help herself. She reached out, grabbing his hand quickly and pulling him back. Startled, Jellal turned to look at her over his shoulder. “Wait! I don’t…I don’t think it is impossible, for forgiveness to be earned, Jellal.” She turned away from him, feeling heat rise into her cheeks. “I’ve witnessed truly horrible acts, and have followed the leadership of a man known to have killed thousands with his own hands. I am a part of a dark guild, lead by the darkest wizard who ever lived. If I can forgive our master for his past, then forgiving you for a single mistake should be simple.”

Her gaze turned back towards him, seeing Jellal stunned into silence. His lips parted slightly, as if he were about to talk, but no words came out. “You see, you are far more like Zeref than you think. The heinous acts you’ve done were no fault of yours. It was a possession spell, and for that, it makes it far easier to see the truth of what happened so long ago.” He still didn’t seem to know what to say, so Erza continued on. “Zeref…some of his actions, I will admit, were done purposefully. However, his magic is not what it appears, Jellal. He is cursed, and because of that curse, people wish for his death. Our guild seeks to remedy that, to free him just as he freed you.” It wasn’t entirely true that Zeref had freed Jellal from his curse, but at the same time, he was indirectly responsible. If Zeref had not spoken to Jellal and revealed that he had been alive the entire time, that weakness in the possession spell would not have been exploited and he still would have been under the control of that mysterious stranger.

The blue haired wizard seemed to be recovering, though his cheeks had turned somewhat pink. “Erza…I don’t know what to say. Earning your forgiveness…no, earning your trust back…you have no idea what this mean to me. I will make sure you do not regret this decision.” He looked determined, giving her a small smile as he nodded. He reached out towards her, his hand cupping her cheek. Erza tilted her head upward, her pulse racing as she stared into the eyes of the man she had admired even as a child. Her eyes drifted shut, but then Jellal’s smile faded and he pulled back. Erza frowned, opening her eyes as his hand was removed from her cheek. She was uncertain of how to interpret his actions, but he moved on quickly and the moment passed.

“The curse, it is a curse that unleashes immense amounts of black magic. I don’t think I’ve ever even heard of such a thing, not even in the Council’s archives.” Glancing towards her, he saw Erza’s blank expression. He seemed to cough slightly, clearing his throat before continuing. “Right…I had forgotten that it wasn’t public knowledge. Years ago, the Magic Council banned all research, distribution, casting, and even writing of curses. Every single ounce of information on such spells were gathered, at least, that was the goal. The public was told it was all destroyed, and as evidence, they did hold a public book burring to mark the event. However…they only destroyed a fraction of the notes on such magics. The true records of curses are still hidden within the archives of Era, and when necessary, council members or even high-ranking rune knights are allowed to utilize the information on special cases.”

Blinking, Erza stared at him with wide eyes. “The Council…are you saying that the only records of curses within Fiore exist somewhere in Era?”

Nodding, Jellal frowned. “Mostly. There is always the possibility that records were missed. Based on the records I saw, the search consisted only of the current cities in existence…so theoretically, if a book within an old civilization managed to survive, there is a chance of finding something in a more abandoned location.”

“I need to go back…the others are all wasting their time.” Erza moved to take a step away, before hesitating and staring at Jellal. “Thank you…for everything. You could come with me, if you’d like.”

“It…it would be best if I did not, Erza.”

Smiling at him, Erza shook her head. “I disagree. I cannot force your decision, but I know you would do well with a task to keep you focused. Help us free our master, then you are free to return to finding your place in the world.”

Hesitating, Jellal took a few moments to think. Slowly, he began to nod, raising his hood over his hair. “If you insist, I will help. I just hope this curse isn’t as dark as I fear it to be.” Not wanting to worry him, Erza remained silent and began moving towards the train station. Returning to Fiore would take a little time, but once she warned the others, they would regroup and come up with a new plan to save Zeref. If they had to, the guild would break into Era to find their answers, and for that, Erza would need Jellal to guide them to the archive. 

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Oak Town was a small place, in a rural area of Fiore. Most of the people lived peaceful lives, simply going through their days calmly enjoying simple jobs and the pleasure of knowing their town was safe. As Lucy, Levy, and Lisanna entered the town, they had all found it quite peaceful. Space had been put between each building, allowing for trees and plants to grow throughout the town. It gave the entire area a rather natural feel, compared to large cities like Magnolia and Oshibana.

The layout of the town, however, ended up being quite complex as a result. Roads would end at random points, stopping when a tree came in their path. Others would curve around various spots, allowing for more plant life to thrive while avoiding the buildings that had already been established. Finding the library had been fine, but figuring out how to get from there to the inn had caused issues. After studying for days, however, all three of them were exhausted.

In the library, Lucy leaned over the table and groaned. Levy had lent her a pair of wind-reading glasses to speed up their research, but even with them, her head was pounding and full of too much information. Nothing even seemed to mention a curse like the one Levy and Lisanna described, nor did any other curse get mentioned for that matter. The most she could find was that curses had existed in the past, thanks to history books, but even those just vaguely glossed over them. 

“I thought this would be a bit more helpful…” Levy sighed and set her book aside, joining Lucy in resting her head on the table. “Normally, books can help solve problems. I just don’t get why there is so little about curses here.”

“Well, curses are dangerous magic. My mother told me a story about them, actually.” Lucy smiled at the thought. “It happened a long time ago…I had finally convinced my parents to let me have a pet, and I ended up with a little rabbit. I loved her so much, and I took her everywhere with me…but then, it got sick. It’s kind of normal, but I sobbed like a little baby when she died. I even begged my mom to find a way to bring her back…but that led to her story.”

The others lifted their heads, watching as Lucy sat up and prepared to talk more. “I can’t remember all the details…but she said that once upon a time, there was a young boy, who lost something he loved very much. He tried doing everything he could to bring back what he loved, but everything he did failed. However, the more he failed, the darker the methods became. His karma continued to build, giving him more and more bad luck as his life lived on. Eventually, he found himself cursed because he couldn’t grasp the idea that some things aren’t meant to come back. She never really said much about the curse itself…but she did say that it was a story that had been passed down through our family for generations. Mom said that just as karma cursed him, it could also be his salvation. It kind of confused me at the time, but I like to think that she meant that no matter how huge your mistake is, you can always make up for it and earn forgiveness in some way.”

“Karma?” Levy frowned, shaking her head. “That’s a religious belief, it shouldn’t be the actual cause or solution to a problem like this. It is nice to think that there are consequences for every action we take, but unfortunately, in reality only work will find a real solution to something like this.”

Lisanna nodded in agreement, though she did smile slightly at Lucy. “Well, at least we’ve still got time. It’s not like Zeref is going anywhere while we look this stuff up, right?”

Smiling, Levy nodded and turned back down towards her book. However, at that moment, someone barged into the library and slammed a hand down onto their table. “Oi, you girls are wizards, ain’t you?” A muscular man with a huge mane of black hair glared at them. 

Frowning, Levy pulled her book away from his hand and nodded. “Yes, and we are busy. If you’ll excuse us, I’d like to get back to my book.”

The man grinned, grabbing the book and pulling it from Levy’s hands. “Yeah, and I’d like to get back to my guild. Unfortunately, Jose won’t let me. The crazy old man claims that it is my fault Fairy Tail wasn’t destroyed. Apparently, I didn’t make them sound terrifying enough with the story I gave that stupid Council…so, I’m looking for a way to prove to him that I still belong.” With a smirk, he stood up straight and pounded a fist into his palm. “I’ll beat up any wizard that comes into this town, and show him that there isn’t a stronger wizard out there than me, Gajeel Redfox, the iron dragon slayer.”

Blinking, Lisanna stared at him. “Dragon slayer? So, does this mean you are like Natsu?”

“Who?” The man snorted and shook his head. “Never mind, I don’t care who your friends are. All that matters is that you’ve got magic, and you’ve got potential.”

“So, you’re fighting us to prove a point to your old guild?” Levy shook her head. “Sounds kind of pointless to me. If I were you, I’d be proving my point much differently. Fighting us won’t change anything. Your former guild members aren’t here to see what you will do, and even if you win, it won’t change the fact that you’ve been kicked out.” Gajeel raised a hand and opened his mouth to object, but he slammed his mouth shut when he realized she was right. Lucy watched as he scoffed, snorting and turning away from them.

“Well, what do you think I should do then, girlie? If you’re so smart, why don’t you help me out and figure out a way to take out Phantom Lord for this.”

“Wait, Phantom Lord was your former guild?” Lucy stared in shock. “But their master is one of the wizard saints! How could you possibly think any of us could take him out?”

Staying much calmer, Levy turned towards him and sighed. “Like I said, we’ve got other problems to deal with right now. If you want my help, you’re just going to have to wait until we’re finished with our job right now.” Reaching across the table, Levy grabbed a new book off of their stack and began reading it instead of the one Gajeel threw away earlier.

He watched her for a moment with a frown, before kneeling down and reading over Levy’s shoulder. An awkward silence had filled the room, and Lucy and Lisanna kept glancing towards the dragon slayer at moments. As Gajeel neared Levy, the solid script wizard began to frown, but stayed focused on her book. She leaned further forward, trying to put some space in between them, but Gajeel responded by getting closer to read the book better. 

“Do you mind?”

Levy spun around and glared at him, looking ready to slap the guy for bothering her. “Oi, I’m just trying to help, shrimp! If I read too, won’t you finish this crap sooner and help me out?” He glared at them, but that was when he gaze spotted Lucy’s hand resting on the table. He blinked for a moment, grabbing it and making Lucy shriek as he studied her hand. “Hold on a second…that mark, you girls are from Fairy Tail!” He glared at them all, before he slowly began to smirk and wrap and arm around both Lucy and Levy, squeezing himself between the two of the girls that were struggling to break free from his grip. 

“That’s perfect…I think I just got an idea. If I wanna get back at Phantom Lord, what better way than to join the enemy guild?” With a grin, he released them and turned back towards Levy. He rested his elbow on her head, leaning over the table to skim her book again. “So, what’s our mission, new guild mates? I’ve gotten in the mood for some work, and this seems like the perfect place to start, gihi!”

Sighing, Levy rose to her feet and ran a hand through her hair. “Lu, do you mind finishing up here? I don’t think we’re going to find anything anyway.” Nodding, the celestial wizard watched as Levy grabbed Gajeel’s arm and began dragging the massive dragon slayer towards the exit of the library. “If you need me, I’ll be introducing this idiot to the guild. I hope Master likes you, because if he doesn’t…well, he is known for killing people he doesn’t really like.” Lucy almost laughed at the look on Gajeel’s face as his smirk vanished and was replaced with an attempt to hide his fear. She knew Zeref wouldn’t actually hurt him, but this was the perfect revenge. Let him be afraid for a while, since he thought it would be fun to pick a fight with a group of random wizards just trying to do some research in a library. 

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Standing before the newly created guild hall, Wendy watched as the blond wizard stepped forward slowly, leaving his partner behind him. For guild wizards, she was surprised to see just how young they were. Both of the boys looked like they were about her age, but they still seemed to move with a high level of confidence. “Looks like we have visitors, Rogue. If you’ve got a job for us, you’ll have to go through the regular channels like everyone else.” The blond crossed his arms over his chest, stopping directly in front of the gathered wizards outside.

Snorting, Macao shook his head at the boy. “You’ve got some nerve, thinking we came here to give you a job. We’re wizards too, so if we needed something done, we’d take care of it ourselves.” 

“Ha! Like you could do better than Sting! No one beats him!” Behind Rogue and the other boy, a talking cat seemed to come walking out. He grinned, cheering on Sting with another cat by his side. At least, Wendy thought it was a cat. She thought he was so cute, dressed in a soft, pink frog costume.

The frog-like cat smiled and nodded. “Frosch thinks so too!” 

Glaring at the cat, Romeo leaned forward. “Hey, don’t insult my father! We’re plenty strong, I’m sure he can handle a little kid if he has to.”

“I hate to say it, but this time the kid is right. Even an idiot like this guy could take on two little punks.” Wakaba joined in the argument.

Smiling at them, Sting began laughing lightly. “Really? So you came here for a fight? Well, I think today just might be your lucky day. Rogue and I were just heading out to train, so why not entertain you for a little bit and show you why no one messes with the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth.”

Blinking, Wendy stood up straighter at that name. She sniffed the air, searching for a sign that the name he mentioned meant what she thought it did. “Twin dragons…are you two dragon slayers?” She spoke softly, unlike her companions. Wendy didn’t see a reason to fight right now, not when all they wanted to do was look at a few books in their guild hall.

“She’s not as dumb as she looks.” The red cat looked mildly impressed behind Sting. Frosch nodded in agreement, still smiling cheerfully behind the two dragon slayers.

Ignoring Lector, Sting smiled. “Well, it looks like this one has heard of us. She’s kind of cute too, don’t you think, Rogue?”

Nodding, Rogue frowned over at her. “I suppose you could say that.” Beyond that, the boy didn’t speak. He only glanced away, keeping his expression rather passive. In a way, his expression kind of reminded Wendy of Zeref. 

Smiling at him, Wendy held out her hand to the blond. “I haven’t heard of you, but thank you anyway! My name is Wendy, I didn’t expect to meet another dragon slayer here.” 

“Another?” Sting stared at her in shock.

Glancing away from both of them, Rogue sighed. “She’s likely another one of those second generation dragon slayers we’ve heard about. Not many of them are around, but we did encounter one on that job a few months ago, didn’t we?”

Blinking, Sting nodded and rubbed the back of his head. “Oh yeah, that makes sense. I guess that just makes you a bit weaker than us, though there isn’t a dragon slayer anywhere that can compete with our strength. After all, what other dragon slayer alive can claim to have actually killed a dragon?”

Hearing that left Wendy cold. She stumbled back, staring at him with wide eyes as Grandeeney’s face flashed in her mind. “You…killed…a dragon?” 

Smirking, Sting nodded. “Sure did, and Rogue did the same thing. Like I said, we’ve got so much more potential than you, so why don’t you go back home to your dolls and games? Let us big kids handle the real missions, okay?”

With her hands shaking by her side, tears began to fall from her cheeks. “How dare you…how could you do something so horrible?” Stepping forward, Wendy couldn’t help herself. This boy had done such a terrible thing, and he was smiling and laughing about it. He didn’t care at all, but he had destroyed something that was precious to her. Maybe that had been what happened to Grandeeney. After all, Zeref wouldn’t want to upset her if he needed her help. Thinking that made her even more enraged, and before she even realized it, Wendy’s hand had raised and a loud crack echoed throughout the air. She blinked in surprise, staring at her own hand in shock. She had slapped Sting, and the boy looked just as startled as she was.

“Sting, you shouldn’t say things like that.” Rogue’s calm voice came as an afterthought, but it was a bit too late.

The blond looked angry too, glaring at Wendy as white light seemed to pool around his hands. “Shut up! This brat…to think I thought she was cute. I’ll show you what it means to be a true dragon slayer, the power of those of us third generation slayers!” Wendy couldn’t help but wonder what all these generations were he was talking about. She thought Zeref had mentioned something about it, but the details slipped her mind at the moment.

Wendy felt someone grab her from behind, pulling her back. Glancing up, she spotted Macao grimacing and holding his hands out, purple flames dancing within. “Stand back, kid, we’ll deal with this. He was asking for it anyway, so why don’t we teach him a lesson?”

By his side, Wakaba grinned. “I guess we do have a bit of time to kill. After all, we don’t want Master thinking this went too easily for us, right?” With that, Rogue seemed to sigh and take a step back.

“I won’t take part in this. The girl did try to end things peacefully, but I know it is pointless to try and talk you out of a fight like this. I’m only interested in becoming stronger than Gajeel, so I’ll let you deal with them instead.” Wendy wondered who this Gajeel was, but didn’t have time to question as Sting charged forward.

“Well, I guess that’s more fun for me.” He targeted Macao first, raising the hand that had already been glowing with white magic. “White Dragon’s Claw!” Macao stumbled back slightly from the blow, clutching his stomach before rising with a smirk.

“You call that an attack? I’m not even hurt.” He seemed proud of the fact, but when he began to move to retaliate, the fire wizard paused and frowned down at his stomach. 

Across from him, Sting seemed to smile brightly. “That’s one of the first spells I learned, and it makes things like this go much quicker. See, my opponent can’t move when marked with my Stigma.” True to his words, an intricate circle of white lines seemed to trace along Macao’s stomach. No matter how much the older man struggled, he did not seem to gain any freedom.

“You damn little brat! I’ll show you not to mess with my friend.” Wakaba stepped forward, blocking Sting’s path to Macao. “Smoke Crush!” From his pipe, smoke seemed to come to life, spiraling around and solidifying in the air. It went flying towards Sting, who moved to dodge. However, Wakaba smirked and changed the direction of his attack. The fist still collided with the boy, hitting Sting’s back and sending him tripping over onto the grown. “My smoke can go anywhere I want, kid. You’ll be hard-pressed to dodge an attack from me.”

Glaring back at him, Sting gripped his hands together with a grimace. Some light began to pool in his hands, as he grimaced slightly at him. “Don’t tell me what I can’t do! I’m going to get stronger, I’ve got to prove to Lector that I really can become stronger than any wizard in Fiore.” He sounded so excited, jumping back to his feet with a glare. “Holy Ray!” Light went flashing out from the orb in his hand, but Wendy saw something go wrong with the spell. The light seemed to die out quickly, fizzling and fading in the air. Sting seemed to scowl at the sight, pushing on and trying again. “I said Holy Ray!” Another orb of white appeared, this time a little larger than the last one. The spreading lights lasted a bit longer, and one actually managed to hit Wakaba before the others faded away.

Watching him, Wendy realized what his problem was. The boy was trying to use a long ranged spell, standing straight with his legs together. The only alteration to his stance was in the fact that he thrusted his arms forward with each attempt. Wiping away her tears, Wendy came forward instead. “You’re doing it wrong…maybe you should have listened to that dragon you killed, because any dragon would have been able to help you with your magic.” Sting seemed to glance away, frowning slightly.

“What do you know?” He tried to write it off, but this time, Wendy heard the pain masked within his voice.

As she took a step forward, Sting raised his head again and held out his hand quickly. “Holy Ray!” he shouted again. Usually, the blast had been dying out, but this time, Wendy had gotten too close. Despite the failed spell, he didn’t need any range since the orb of white that formed landed directly on her, sending her flying back into the street.

Wendy gasped as her back dug into the cement. She heard a slight tearing as the bottom edges of her dress began to unravel from the strain. Rocks made her groan, and when her momentum finally stopped, she grimaced and sat up, rubbing her back. Slowly, she got back to her feet and frowned, unsteadily walking closer again. “I’m not a fighter…I never have been…” she whispered, her head hung low. “However…you’ve done horrible things to the people I care about. These people may not know me well, but I already know that we’re going to be friends. If that wasn’t enough, you’ve also killed people like Grandeeney…if you can’t even pretend to care, then I don’t want to be your friend either! If you want a fight, then fine, I’ll show you just what happens when you care about dragons instead of just fighting them for a pointless reason like wanting to be stronger!”

With that, Wendy inhaled sharply throughout the air. She spread her legs wide, feeling the alteration of her stance affect the flow of magic within her body. Grandeeney had taught her that by physically growing stronger, and by altering your posture, magic can flow more freely throughout the body and empower even stronger spells. While she hadn’t ever needed to try them, Wendy at least understood the idea behind how it worked.

Standing across from Sting, she saw the blond laugh at her words. “Strength is all that matters in our guild. If I’m not strong enough, they won’t let me stay…Sabertooth is rising to the top, and I promised Lector that I’d make sure his words would become reality one day. No one will laugh at him again, and for that, I have to be the strongest wizard in the strongest guild in Fiore.”

“There are different kinds of strength.” Wendy glared at him, feeling air rushing around her and whipping her hair around. Her magic had never reacted like this, and she felt energized and pleasantly warm from the power. While she disliked having to fight, this time, she felt like she needed to go through with it. “When you want something bad enough…when you fight to protect something, you gain more strength than you could possible imagine. I never fight unless I have to, because fighting always hurts someone. I don’t want to hurt you, but I also don’t want to see you hurt my friends anymore.”

Giving him a small smile, Wendy prepared herself and crouched down. Sting didn’t seem to be listening anyway, and his hand was pushed forward again to try and attack with his Holy Ray spell again. Before he could attempt it another time, Wendy unleashed her stored power. “Sky Dragon’s Roar!” A massive blast of wind erupted from her mouth as the magic flowed through her body in a way entirely new to her. The gust of wind forced Sting to go flying back into Rogue, leaving both dragon slayers collapsed on the ground by Sabertooth’s guild hall. Just to the right of the spell’s range, Macao and Wakaba watched with wide eyes. Wakaba’s pipe had fallen from his mouth, dropping to the ground as his jaw dropped in shock. Macao was just as speechless, staring at Wendy like she had grown an extra limb.

Rushing up towards her, Romeo grinned wildly. “That was amazing! You’re even stronger than my dad. Where did you learn magic like that?”

Laughing nervously, Wendy rubbed the back of her head. “Oh, I’m not really much of a fighter. It wasn’t that great…” She trailed off, glancing back towards the dazed dragon slayers. “What I do know, though, was taught to me by my mother, Grandeeney. She was a dragon…and there isn’t a force on this planet that would ever make me want to harm her.”


	86. Sudden Complications

Rising to his feet, Sting scowled at Wendy. “Not a fighter?” He was referencing her last comment that had been directed towards her friends. Macao was still frozen with the stigma on his chest, while Wakaba observed her taking on the white dragon slayer. Romeo stood by her side, still looking excited after watching her attack. “I doubt that. You couldn’t pull off an attack like that without being able to fight…” He glanced back at Rogue, sighing and running a hand through his hair. “Usually, that’d make me excited to keep going, but since you were at least trying to be nice at first, I’ll let it slide and concede this fight to you.”

Glancing at Sting, Wendy sighed and smiled. “Really? Thank you. So, does that mean you’ll let us use your library?” They had yet to even ask about it, and while Wendy had been upset, she realized that it would be better to just focus on their mission instead. 

“Our library?” Rogue asked quietly, rejoining his friend.

Frowning, Sting crossed his arms over his chest. “What would you guys even want with that? Magnolia has a library in town, you could just go there instead.”

Shaking her head, Wendy frowned at them. “Well…we were actually hoping to find Fairy Tail’s library….but they don’t exist anymore, so we decided to look at the place they used to be.” 

“Sorry, but that’s not our decision to make. Our guild master is in charge of who can come in…and he’s usually pretty strict about limiting it to guild members only.” Sting frowned, watching as Wendy’s expression fell. She glanced towards the others, unsure of what to do next. “But…if you teach me how to properly use Holy Ray, I suppose I could be convinced to help out. There’s nothing saying I can’t go in and grab a few books for you, after all.”

Clasping her hands together, Wendy smiled brightly at him. “Really? That would be so helpful, thank you!” Eagerly, Wendy released her hands and dropped them to her sides. “So, for your spell, it has to do with the way you are standing when you cast it. When standing straight, your magic flows towards all of the limbs in your body…and it makes it difficult to amplify a spell like Holy Ray that resonates from a specific point. So, if you bend your legs a bit…and maybe spread them slightly, with another bend around your stomach, you would cut off some of the flow of magic to your lower body. It would make it easier for the magic to build around your hands…” She trailed off, seeing him staring at her slack-jawed.

“How did you learn so much about magic?”

“Um…Grandeeney taught me…” She trailed off, biting her lip. “I’m sorry, but…didn’t dragons teach you two as well?”

Glancing back at Rogue, Sting’s expression seemed to fall into a frown. “They did…until seven years ago.” He bit his lip, slowly turning to look back at Wendy. “Weisslogia, he told me that I had to kill him, to become a true dragon slayer. Skiadrum told Rogue the same thing…we killed the dragons that trained us, and they didn’t even get the chance to teach us so much…” His hands clenched into fists and he grimaced, closing his eyes tightly for a moment.

After taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes again and adjusted his stance as Wendy had instructed. She stepped back, startled by his sudden recovery. However, looking closer she saw the hard set of his jaw, and the shadows in his eyes. He was still hurting, all because his dragon told him to do something so horrible. Wendy didn’t think she would have been able to do something like that to Grandeeney, even if her mother had asked her to do that. She felt horrible for ever being mean to Sting and Rogue for their actions, too, because they had a strength that she couldn’t possibly imagine.

She watched as Magic pooled in Sting’s grip. His blue eyes focused on some abandoned rubble that had been piled up in a field near Sabertooth, likely a remanent of Fairy Tail’s former guild hall. “Holy Ray!” White light flashed in his hands, building and creating a massive orb of magic. Almost too quick for the eye to follow, it shattered into hundreds of beams, all of which went flying towards the rubble. A crash echoed around them, turning into a roar as each beam of light pierced through the rubble beyond them.

Blinking at the attack, Sting slowly began to rise and grin at his success. “Alright! Did you see that, Lector? I’ve already mastered my Holy Ray spell! Soon, I’ll be working on those secret arts that Weisslogia left behind for me, don’t you think?”

“Yeah! Way to go, Sting!” 

“Frosch thinks Rogue should try too!” 

The black haired boy only sighed, shaking his head. “You’ve finished your work, Sting. I think it’s time for us to hold up our side of the agreement.” Walking forward, he glanced between Wendy and her friends with a frown. “Just what is it you were looking for anyway?”

Turning towards Macao, Wendy bit her lip. None of them really knew how much they could say, considering what they were dealing with. When Sting saw the direction Wendy was looking, the boy blinked and smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. “Oh, right, I almost forgot about that.” Stepping forward, Sting pressed a hand to Macao’s chest. The circular mark faded away into his palm, vanishing from sight and freeing the man to move once more.

Rubbing his chest, Macao seemed to scowl slightly. “I could’ve handled it eventually…you just caught me off guard this time.” Sighing, he shook his head and glanced at the guild hall. “As for what we are looking for, it’s not really my place to say. Really, this would just work out better for all of us if you let us look for the books ourselves.”

“As much as I want to help…I wasn’t really kidding before about how strict our Master is. We have to become the strongest, and that doesn’t happen by helping out every little person who comes to our doorstep.” Sting shrugged, glancing between them. “It’s just how things work around here, you’d get used to it if you joined. In fact…I think our master might be interested in adding new members, if you’d like. You’ve got potential, and if you joined, we could become even stronger!” Sting grinned back over at Rogue, looking excited about his idea. “Imagine it, us Twin Dragons becoming the Triplet Dragons! No one would be able to stop us, not even Gajeel or the rumored Salamander that goes around destroying cities around Fiore.”

By her side, Romeo stepped forward and glared at them. “Hey, what makes you think she’d ever join you guys?” Crossing his arms over his chest, Romeo stood confidently against the other boys. “You never said anything to her,” Romeo pointed towards Rogue, before turning towards Sting. “And you just tried to pick a fight with her because she wanted to protect dragons! After all that, it just doesn’t make sense for you guys to be friends.”

Glancing towards Macao, Wakaba frowned. “Eh, I wouldn’t go that far, kid. Your father and I go way back, and we still have fights on occasion.” Rubbing the back of his head, he frowned. “Sometimes, a good fight is all it takes to work out our differences and become closer than before. That and a bit of fun times with the ladies—“ Macao glared at Wakaba and punched his arm.

“Not in front of the kids, Wakaba.” Pinching the bridge of his nose, Macao sighed. “What he means to say is that sometimes, people don’t fight because they hate each other.” Romeo frowned, glancing at Sting and Wendy with a frown. “Sometimes, fighting is just a special way to test someone’s strength, and to see if they really are worthy of respect. You’ll figure that out as you get older, but for now, just know that Sting didn’t fight Wendy because he disliked her. He fought her to prove a point, to show that he really was the stronger wizard.”

“That’s right! And, now that she’s proven to me that we are almost evenly matched, I want her to join my team!” He grinned, placing his hands on his hip.

“Yeah, Sting’s team is the best! There’s no way she’ll turn him down.” Lector was still cheering him on from the area by the guild hall.

Next to the red cat, the frog-costumed one smiled brightly and nodded. “Frosch thinks so too!”

Clasping her hands in front of her dress, Wendy couldn’t help but smile at the boy for his kind offer. “I…thank you, I really don’t know what to say.” Sting grinned, coming closer to her and offering his hand. However, Wendy shook her head. “However…as amazing as that sounds, I don’t think I can join you. I’m already a part of a guild…and I don’t really think I want to leave quite yet. There’s someone in that guild that I promised to help, and even if he finished his goal without me, I know that I still have to at least do something to put a smile back on his face.”

“But…you can’t! We need you to help us get stronger. Without…ever since Weisslogia and Skiadrum left, we haven’t really had anyone who could help us. Even after getting dragon lacrima implanted in our bodies…it wasn’t enough to make up for the lack of a proper teacher.” Blinking, Macao seemed to step forward.

“Hold on a second,” He held a hand out to the boy, leaning forward to stare into Sting’s eyes. “Are you asking Wendy, to teach you magic? She’s just a child, how could she honestly know anything more than you?”

“Her dragon informed her of techniques ours failed to mention.” Rogue calmly replied, glancing towards Wendy and offering her a small smile. “After all, I do not think Sting would have mastered his Holy Ray spell so quickly without her advice.”

“Actually…I kind of agree with Macao. I might understand a few little tricks about magic, but I’m not an expert and I’m also not a fighter…most of my magic is meant to help others in battle, actually.” She smiled at them, glancing between the two. “So, with that, I don’t think what I can teach you is the kind of magic you are actually looking to learn. Sorry…”

Sting ran a hand through his hair, looking irritated for a moment and letting out a frustrated growl. “Damn it! And I thought we were so close too…” Then, he paused and frowned at Wendy. Slowly, his irritated scowl turned into a smirk as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, I guess we have no choice. We’ll just have to help you finish cheering up this friend of yours, and then you can join us. After all, you could probably show us some tricks on the way, right?”

“Guys, I hate to break it to you, but we’re getting off topic.” Wakaba pushed his pipe to the other side of his mouth and frowned. “We’ve gotta find some books about curses or something, otherwise, this whole trip will just be a pointless waste of time.”

Blinking, Rogue glanced towards them. “Curses? That seems like an odd type of magic for people your age to be investigating. Isn’t that normally a job for the Magic Council?”

“Not quite. Yes, the Magic Council does research curses, but the jobs dealing with them are often given to guilds like this one. They just don’t come around as often as they used to these days.” Macao grinned at them, looking a bit eager to continue. “So, do you kids think your guid has anything about them inside?”

Sharing a look, Sting and Rogue slowly began to shake their heads. Sting turned back towards Macao, tilting his head upward to try and meet his gaze. “Not really. We don’t usually get curse-breaking missions…I don’t think our master is all that interested in them. Normally, we get to deal with magical creatures terrorizing villages, criminals that have escaped and need more than just a few rune knights to be captured…that kind of thing.”

“Oh.” Wendy’s smile faded and she took a deep breath. However, she still nodded and turned to leave. “Well, thanks anyways. I do hope to see you around. It’d be nice to talk to someone who understands a bit more about dragon slaying magic…and who knows how hard it is to lose your dragon.”

Both of the boys looked a bit haunted once more at her words, but Sting recovered quickly, just as he had before. “Sure thing. If I come across anything about curses, I’ll be sure to find you and let you know.” He paused for a moment, frowning and scratching his head. “Actually…I don’t think I ever caught any of your names.”

Smiling, Wendy turned around and stopped for a moment. “Oh! I’m Wendy, Wendy Marvel. These are my friends, Romeo, Macao, and Wakaba.” She gestured to each of them respectively as she mentioned their names. The white dragon slayer nodded, moving to return to his guild. However, just as he did so, a massive wind seemed to rush through the street. A rumbling was heard overhead, and Wendy frowned and turned her gaze upward.

Above them in the sky was a massive flying ship. It was dark black, though it appeared to be powered by a dark red magic circle that continually spun around the bottom surface of the ship. A second circle seemed to attach itself like a propeller to the back of the ship, making it almost look like a boat. With the added layers from the design of the ship, it only seemed to reinforce that concept. Most of it seemed centered, though on one end, two edges jutted forward and created a pointed look on the edges of the airship. Decorating the surface of the sides was a strange white pattern, while the back end seemed to have smaller, wing-like structures atop the flying machine.

It moved far faster than Wendy had expected. She felt the wind rush through her hair, sending it spiraling around in the air with the gust. She watched the airship fly off into the distance, though she couldn’t help but frown. “That didn’t look good. Do you think we should investigate?” Rogue glanced towards Sting for answers.

Watching the ship, Wendy couldn’t help but feel nervous. The direction it went in, that was the same direction as Fairy Tail. It was moving towards Oshibana, and if it got too close, her friends would be in danger. “We should.” Wendy didn’t let Sting respond, making both of the other two dragon slayers blink at her in surprise. Wendy smiled at them brightly, already beginning to take a few steps after the ship. The boys began to follow soon after, looking eager as Wendy spoke once more. “You wanted to team up, right? So let’s do it. I’ll help you follow that airship, and we’ll stop whatever is going on right now.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

As expected, Zeref found nothing researching in Oshibana. Natsu and Mavis had not been any luckier, so the black wizard was still uncertain about his current path. As amazing as it would be to be freed from his curse, Zeref had abandoned hope long ago. Hope was an ideal that he did not deserve to feel; in the end, hope only created more suffering for him when his dreams did not become reality.

Without a path towards freeing himself from the curse, Zeref questioned what would happen to him. Right now, he had more bright influences in his life than ever before, but he could still feel the shadows creeping along the edges of his mind. The curse was getting worse, now that both Mavis and Natsu were near him. If he didn’t do something soon, he would lose it all yet again. Maybe it was time for him to look back at some of his old plans. At one point, he had looked into ways of ensuring that he didn’t have to suffer anymore. Most concerned finding ways to end his own life, but there was one plan that had seemed to hold potential, before he set it aside long ago.

Rubbing his head, Zeref grimaced and shook his head. That was not a path he wanted to go down, not when he knew what it would cost. Essentially, he had once considered looking even deeper into time travel, to find a way to prevent his family from dying in the first place. Without their deaths, he never would have even looked into resurrection, and he would not have angered Ankhseram. However, he had only just begun considering that alternative around the time he met Mavis. Seeing her, learning that there was a brighter option, had made him forget about such options. Now, thinking on them, he realized just how much could change. His long life, despite the horrible things he did, had created a few things that the world just might need to keep. Fairy Tail, the guild he found himself leading, only came into existence because he had trained those founding members in the art of magic. 

Currently, Zeref found himself walking down the streets of Oshibana as he thought. Natsu and Mavis were back at the guild hall, trying to come up with new ideas. Zeref had nothing to add, not when he couldn’t invest his heart in this matter. He didn’t deserve freedom, not after everything he had done. Even now, he couldn’t get his thoughts away from dark magic. The only plans he came up with were those that required sacrifice and pain to succeed. Even his plan to bring back Mavis followed that logic. He had been willing to kill his own guild members just to see her again. While he may have been the hero that saved her, Zeref knew that he was still nothing but a monstrous villain. 

As he walked past the train station, Zeref let his head fall slightly. His hair fell forward, covering his eyes from the view of those walking past. In the sky, the sun was setting and darkness was beginning to take over the day. In reality, none of this was his desire, now that he truly thought about it. If anything, he wanted to keep his suffering. This pain reminded him of the dangers of getting to close to anyone. The more he loved, the more he lost, and without the constant reminder of his curse, he would open his heart again. At that point, he knew that the world would find a way to steal away his small portion of peace. After all, even back as a child, this world had found ways to reject him. It tried to slay him with the dragon’s war, thrusting magic in his hands to make him a warrior, but forcing him to loose his family instead when he wasn’t around to protect them.

Ignoring the slight pounding in his head, Zeref felt the edges of his mouth twitch downward slightly. The only ones thinking he deserved this, the only ones interfering with letting him suffer, were Mavis and Natsu. His eyes flashed red for a moment, and he stopped walking. The darkness in his mind was rising again, making him feel quite similar to when he first returned from Edolas. However, this time, there wasn’t anyone around to calm him down. “I…I must kill them…” His eyes flashed open, wild as he pressed a hand to his forehead. 

They were stopping his plans, working so hard to free him from this curse that reminded him of so many important facts. They were taking away this ultimate power…the power he had never truly admired until now. Staring down at his hands, he felt a slight smile flash on his face before someone ran into him, making him stumble back. Shaking his head, Zeref frowned and glanced upward. “Oh, sorry about that! I didn’t mean to—oh, hey, it’s you!” A man dressed in a dark blue uniform stood in front of him. The familiar light blue hair of Officer Jackson poked out from underneath his white helmet, though the man smiled brightly and pulled of his headwear to walk closer to Zeref.

It had been far too long since Zeref last saw this man. The last time…he remembered that Jackson’s advice had led him to believe his decision to find Nirvana was the right path. Before that, Jackson had nearly prevented him from freeing Oshibana Station from Erigor’s wind barrier. Staring at him now, Zeref held a hand out and stumbled back slightly. “Stay away! I have to…they have to kill me….no, I have to…” Conflict rose in his mind, far greater than before. He needed Mavis and Natsu to stop him, to prevent this darkness from eating him alive. 

Closing his eyes, Zeref shook his head. No, he had to stop them from taking it away. His breathing was coming quicker, and his fingers tangled within his bangs as he continued trying to fight back against this on his own. “Are you alright, August? That was your name, right?”

Grimacing, Zeref could only nod to the mention of his former alias. “Hey, just take few deep breaths. I’ll help you get some medical aid. My dad recently went on a mission with his guild…so I guess I have some spare room for you to rest in while I go get help.” Jackson smiled helpfully, reaching over to drape Zeref’s arm over his shoulders.

The black wizard tried to object, but the pounding in his veins made it difficult to do much without unleashing his magic. The most he managed was a slight groan, with his head falling forward. “Once I’ve gotten you inside, I’ll go find that friend of yours from before…the pink haired one. He seemed like the kind of guy who would—“

That made Zeref’s head snap up, interrupting before Jackson could finish. “No! Don’t…he can’t be near me, not when I’m…” Zeref trailed off, uncertain of how to phrase it. This man was a stranger, not even a wizard. He couldn’t say much about his curse, not when it would create far more problems then it would solve.

Glancing at him, Jackson slowly began to nod, focusing on the street. “Alright, that’s fine. We’ll figure something else out. After all, I can’t have a wizard just passing out in the streets of Oshibana. It isn’t safe for others walking by, or for yourself.” Unsure of what to say, Zeref remained silent and closed his eyes. The clutter within his mind was fading somewhat, though it was only a mild alteration from before. 

“You shouldn’t be doing this. I…I don’t deserve to be helped. Officer.”

The man frowned, looking distant as he gazed out at the street before them. Zeref felt the man drag him towards another street, turning away from the main city where businesses clustered around. This was moving towards the residential area of Oshibana, and it was not a good place for Zeref to go at the moment. “Maybe you’re right. Based on what I’ve heard…Fairy Tail was discovered to be in Oshibana. Everyone was talking about it, about how the rune knights came and arrested everyone. I didn’t see you around much after that…so, I’m guessing you were a part of that guild after all.”

Silence filled the air for a moment, making Zeref wonder if Jackson had changed his mind. When the man didn’t continue, Zeref decided the news had already been made public anyway. “Yes…” Talking, strangely enough, was having a calming effect on his mind. Normally, he needed someone familiar with him to calm his contradictory episodes, but this time, he had been too far gone for even a friend to reach him. It surprised him to see that a stranger could reach through to him through that haze, though it made sense at the same time. He did not value Officer Jackson’s life, thus his presence was much easier to tolerate than that of others. He was…comfortable, in a way, around the random officer of Oshibana that was now insisting on helping him.

His eyes had retuned to their usual black color, and he felt the haze almost recede away entirely. “I’ve got a certain respect for wizards, as I’m sure you’ve already figured out. Guilds, however…I don’t really have a lot of faith in them.” That surprised Zeref, making him frown and glance towards Jackson. He was leaning slightly less on the man for support now, feeling steadier already as Jackson stopped at a small house in Oshibana. It was on a small circular block, white in color with a small yard. A single red oak tree stood in front of the building, small and still growing. Jackson led them inside, dragging Zeref along and finally letting the black wizard rest on the couch.

The living room was average, or at least, Zeref thought it was. He hadn’t been a visitor in anyone’s house in…he couldn’t remember how long. The couch was dark green in color, while the carpet on the ground was white. The room was lit with a light lacrima that rested on top of the desk to the side of Zeref. On the wall across from the couch, a window gave a great view to the outside streets, which had emptied now that the sun had practically vanished below the horizon. Across the street, a yellow house was faintly visible, though Zeref didn’t pay attention to those details.

Sitting next to Zeref on the couch, Jackson sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Glancing at him, Zeref noted that the Officer actually had longer hair than he first thought. Under his usual helmet, it had been styled up into a bun to keep it hidden. “Guilds try to help people, I understand that. I can’t really blame the wizards in them, either. They don’t think they’re doing anything wrong…and for most people, it works. Guild wizards can save the world, and they can accomplish anything, right?” The man sighed, and shook his head.

“You lost someone.” It wasn’t a question. Zeref had seen too much grief in his life to not be able to recognize the signs in someone else.

Glancing away, Jackson nodded slowly. “Yeah…but it wasn’t really their fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault…but the guilds didn’t even try to figure out what was wrong. They said it would pass, that she would recover…but my mother still died. It took me almost three months to find someone who could figure out what was wrong, but by then…I just didn’t have enough time.” He clenched his hands into fists, sighing as he shook his head. “Either way, it isn’t your problem. I shouldn’t be burdening you with this when you’re already feeling down.”

The smile had returned to Jackson’s face, but now, Zeref could see the shadows hidden well within his gaze. All of his brightness, it was just Jackson’s method of hiding himself. While Zeref hid behind a mask of calmness and logic, this man used smiles and optimism to cover his sorrow. “I see. I’ve lost my family as well…” Zeref trailed off, not wishing to speak much about that right now. His curse had already been building enough lately, he didn’t want to add in an extra threat at the moment.

That made Jackson frown, however. “Wait, didn’t you say you were visiting family here? I thought…I mean, I thought it meant you had family in the guild you joined.”

Closing his eyes, Zeref glanced away. “Did I say that? It is hard to remember these days…regardless, you’ve already met the only family I have left alive. The boy that was with me, Natsu…I’ve recently discovered that he is my brother.” 

“Well, that sounds like a reason to celebrate if you ask me.” Jackson frowned at him, walking away for a moment and talking from another room. He was somewhere behind the wall the sofa leaned against, and Zeref heard the sound of water running for a moment. “So, if you just found that out, why are you acting like this? It doesn’t seem like you’re physically sick…at least, not anymore.” 

Jackson walked back out, carrying two glasses of water. He set them down on a long wooden table that rested in front of the couch before returning to his seat. He gazed over at Zeref steadily, with his hat now discarded elsewhere in the house. “I…it is complicated. You wouldn’t quite understand.”

“We’ll never know if you don’t try to explain.” Jackson countered swiftly, taking a sip of his water before leaning back into the couch cushions.

Sighing, Zeref ran a hand through his hair and leaned forward. His hands clasped together with his elbows resting on his legs, giving him a place to rest his chin as he spoke. “In the simplest of terms…I am afraid of caring for anyone. The closer people get to me, the more likely it seems that they will perish.” He didn’t want to get into details, but this much he could provide.

Blinking, Jackson seemed to pause for a moment. After his pause, he chuckled lightly and shook his head. “Is that it? To me, it seems like your problem is letting people in. Everyone is afraid of being hurt, but that doesn’t mean the people around you are going to die.” 

Closing his eyes, Zeref scowled to himself. “As I stated before, you do not understand. I’ve lost everyone I’ve ever come to care for…at one point, I even became convinced that Natsu was dead. In fact, I’ve seen so much death in my life that I am almost numb to the sight of it…unless it is someone I truly care for, I feel almost nothing about the deaths that surround me.” It was a frightening thought, but Zeref did realize that he had lost much of the value he had once placed on life. The longer he spent away from Mavis, the more he began to forget about why he cared for life at all. Now that she was back, the peace he gained from that was likely going to begin fading away yet again.

Those thoughts made him grimace, returning a slight hint of instability to his mind. “No…I shouldn’t protect them…those I care for must die, before they interfere…” Zeref shook his head, dropping his hands to his sides and clenching them into fists.

The officer next to him leaned closer, touching his arm gently. “Hey…there’s no need to try and joke around about this.” He tried to make light of Zeref’s comment, giving him a weak smile. Glancing towards him, Zeref could see the way the man used his other hand to rub the back of his neck, and the way sweat seemed to begin forming on his forehead. Jackson was nervous, and this wasn’t making things any better. “Death is a serious subject, and if you are afraid, it doesn’t really help to try and completely forget about that fear. It is natural to feel that way, like I said before. Heck, I am afraid of seeing my father die too, but that doesn’t mean I don’t talk to him.”

This wasn’t helping. The clouds in his mind may have been pushed back yet again, but his curse still pulsed strongly within him. “Get away…” he stated through clenched teeth. Startled, Jackson pulled back and frowned at him. Zeref’s arms rose, clutching his hair tightly as he hunched over on the couch. “I don’t want…no, that will make it worse…” Zeref tried to reason himself out of such thoughts, but it was a bit too late.

Jackson saw Zeref’s position and seemed to take the warning more seriously now. The officer went rushing away, charging into the hallway of his home and running to the far end of the house. Zeref couldn’t see the man anymore, but his curse exploded at that moment anyway. Even if Jackson had been near him, the black magic around him would have blinded Zeref from spotting the living man in the room. He had known this was coming at some point tonight, but he hadn’t realized it would be so sudden.

The explosion whirled around him for a moment, as Zeref fell forward off of the couch and onto the ground. He felt his shoulder hit something hard, likely the table in front of him, and something seemed to clash to the ground afterwords. Something wet touched Zeref’s robes, soaking through and making him frown in discomfort. As the energy in his veins lessened, a small amount of clarity began to be restored to his mind. The more this energy built within him, the more unstable his thoughts became. That was something he had learned about a century ago, but he had not really had an issue with it since he spoke with Mavis about a potential future for them. 

A clicking sound made Zeref’s head rise, as the magic began to fade away around him. Black swirls still remain as the door opens, and a girl walks in with a dark smile flashing across her face. “You know, I heard that Oshibana was a dump, but I still expected more than this from this place.” She placed a hand on her hip, gazing towards Zeref. Meeting her eyes, Zeref’s eyes narrowed as he recognized the girl from his trial in Era. “Hello again, Master of Fairy Tail. I felt a strange thing the other day, quite odd considering what we all knew. A certain pawn of mine broke free from my control…and the only way that could happen was if I chose to let him go, or if he managed to discover the truth on his own. Considering how moldable his mind was, I doubt the idiot figured it out alone…so that leaves only one person who could have figured it out, the person who seemed to know on sight just who that pawn was.”

She walked forward, approaching Zeref and dropping her hand to her side. “You were the one in control of Jellal, then. I suppose you are here for revenge?” 

A laugh came from the girl, as Zeref heard footsteps from the hallway of the house. Jackson was returning, but it was not a good time for the man to be here. “Revenge? No, I had no more use for that fool anymore. After all…our entire goal has been to find you. Master Hades has finally gotten all the keys…we will awaken your true power once more, and end this miserable state you are in once and for all.” Ultear paused for a moment. She walked around Zeref, circling to his back. He stiffened as he felt her breath on his neck, followed by two arms circling around his body possessively. He did not like being touched, and being touched by dark wizards like her was even worse.

“I am sorry I didn’t get the chance to help you sooner. Master insisted on the necessity of making certain you were who you claimed to be. Otherwise, we would have taken you back when the Council managed to get their hands on you.” He felt her hand rise to stroke his hair, brushing it out of his face and making him scowl. 

Watching from the hallway, Jackson seemed to frown as well. “You know, I could have you arrested for breaking and entering. This is my home, so I suggest you get out and stop pestering my guest.” That made Zeref’s eyes widen. Hadn’t Jackson seen his magic? Maybe there wasn’t anything living in the room to see its effects, but it still looked dangerous enough without seeing that. Glancing around, Zeref noticed that he was actually wrong about affecting nothing with his outburst. Jackson had a large, leafy plant that rested on the table next to the light. While it may have once been green and filled with life, Zeref could see how wilted it had become in just a brief moment of exposure to his magic.

Behind him, he felt a slight shaking as the girl laughed yet again. “Get out? Oh, I assure you, I will do just that. However, Zeref is coming with me.”

That name seemed to make Jackson pause. Everyone had heard of him, even non-wizards like Jackson. His blue eyes focused on Zeref, blinking for a moment before he sighed. “Zeref…you know, oddly that makes sense when I think about it. That magic…your comments about death and family…I understand it all now. I just wish I knew sooner, maybe then I would have had the chance to help you a bit more.” He gave out a slight chuckle, shaking his head slightly. “I’m likely not getting out of this alive, though. As strong as I’ve made my body, I still know that I’m nothing when compared to a wizard.”

“Smart boy, maybe I’ll let you live after having my fun with you.” Ultear dropped Zeref with that, walking away and pulling her arms from his neck. Freed, Zeref scowled and glanced towards her. He had not expected Jackson to react quite that way, but now, he was intrigued. There was a mystery surrounding the officer, and that gave Zeref the purpose he had been needing to figure out his next plan. Jackson was going to survive this day, and Zeref was going to use him to figure out just how seeing his magic made the boy relate to him so much.

Moving forward himself, Zeref felt anger rising within him. She had come to this place, seeking his power like so many other wizards before her. He didn’t have time to deal with matters such as this, but people always found ways to interfere. “You wish to play with people’s lives?” Zeref saw the girl glance towards him, frowning slightly. “That is not something I wish to tolerate…not when I have decided to follow a lighter path. Mavis has returned, and my brother still lives…so long as those things are true, I will find a way to move forward. At the moment…that means that you are in my way, Ultear.”

He had found his resolve, and with that, Zeref was ready to fight. Maybe he would suffer again in the future, but he just needed to look at this from a different perspective. Zeref had always loved puzzles, especially when dealing with magic. Determining a way to end the Curse of Contradictions was the greatest puzzle of all, and he would be able to test his knowledge and push it to the limits by searching for answers. If Jackson knew something that could help, Zeref would gladly listen, because at the moment, he could use a new pawn in his life. He was tired of fearing his curse, so the only option left was to forget the value of life for a moment, until he finally found his freedom.


	87. Unexpected Enemies

Natsu had been peacefully researching in the library when he heard something that caught his attention. Mavis was busy looking through her own books, and Lahar was grumbling in the corner about having lost sight of Zeref at some point. Right now, Natsu could care less about that, though. His brother would be fine, and it wasn’t like Zeref didn’t have time to waste right now. If the guy needed a break, Natsu saw no reason for him to not take one every once in a while.

Something strange, however, seemed to rumble in the air around him. Mavis didn’t glance up, so it must have been quieter than Natsu thought it was. It sounded kind of mechanical, like gears turning or a propeller moving. He didn’t quite know what it was, though. Sounds were harder for him to place then smells, despite the fact that his hearing was enhanced too. It just didn’t quite feel the same as detecting scents in the air, and Natsu didn’t usually need to use a sound to identify something. All that hearing did was alert him to the presence of an attacking enemy, but right now, it made that rumbling sound far too annoying.

Trying to ignore it, Natsu continued glancing through the book on the table. Oshibana’s public library was quiet, considering the time of night. People had left long ago, and the place was actually going to close soon. The employees had already been working on cleaning up. He had watched as people wiped down tables, pushing in chairs as they went along and picking up books that had been left behind. Others began re-shelving the books that had been returned that day, paying close attention to organization along the shelves. Most people would have taken these things as hints to leave, but Natsu wanted to get as much time in this place as possible. He had never really been fast at reading, so he needed to spend as much time here as possible to make up for the slower pace.

Across from him, Mavis had already flown through an entire stack of books in the last hour. She had some kind of fancy glasses that she got from some store in town that helped her out, but Natsu didn’t really want to bother with them. If he was helping Zeref out, it would be using his own strength. He didn’t want to have to rely on something created by others to help his brother. It just didn’t make sense to him, so he stuck to his own reading speed and regular eyes. However, it didn’t stop him from growling under his breath as Mavis got up to grab yet another book from the library’s shelves.

“So….you’re Zeref’s brother, right?” Mavis smiled pleasantly as she set her book aside, looking ready for a break.

Nodding, Zeref frowned at the girl. It still bothered him, seeing the girl wearing the same face as the one that had tried to kill him back in Edolas. “Yeah…but I didn’t really figure that out until recently.” 

Mavis’ eyes seemed to light up, leaning forward with a smile. “Really? How did you meet him then? I mean, Zeref doesn’t really make friends all that easily…he’s kind of a loner, despite the fact that I convinced him to be a part of our family in Fairy Tail.”

“I smelled something funny, and tried to figure out what I was smelling. You know, your curse actually creates that funny smell…it makes you smell like him, actually.” Sniffing the air, Natsu couldn’t deny that aspect of it. That was the one thing that helped him differentiate between the two Mavises. The one in Edolas didn’t smell a thing like death, unlike the one sitting in front of him here.

Blinking, Mavis frowned. “I never realized that…wow, there’s so much about magic that even books don’t tell us. It makes me wish I had read more…do you think we’ll find other interesting facts about the curse in our research?” She sounded far too eager, considering the dark topic.

Glaring at the ceiling as the rumbling seemed to get louder, Natsu crossed his arms over his chest. “Who knows? All I’m interested in is getting rid of that curse. Zeref’s been talking about killing himself from the day I met him…I mean, I get it, but that doesn’t mean I like it.” Glancing away from Mavis, Natsu scowled. “Everyone loses people. I’ve lost friends, and even the guy I thought of as my father…that still hasn’t made me think I should go and die. He needs to see that death isn’t the answer to his problems. Living life and actually enjoying it…that should be what he focuses on, especially once that curse is gone.”

Nodding in agreement, Mavis smiled at him. “I couldn’t agree more. You’ll help me with that, right?” Natsu blinked, seeing Mavis bite her bottom lip and toy with a strand of her hair. “I…I want to stay by Zeref’s side. I’ve never really been strong enough to compete with him…most of the time, I just ran away from my problems after I accepted the fact that I was cursed. I just tried to hide away, and when I went to hide…I begged Zeref to return to the guild and take my place, just for a little while. Never once did I imagine that I was asking him to replace me for a century…forcing him to watch as guild members died around him, while he didn’t age.” 

She looked miserable, her gaze distant as she poked away from Natsu and dropped her hair. “It must have made him suffer so much, but I don’t think he’d ever let it show. That was just who he was, and who he still is.” Her gaze turned back towards Natsu, looking far more serious than he expected. “Zeref doesn’t show what he’s feeling, not even to those he is close to. Determining what to say to him…it is often like a riddle to solve, just to figure out how he reacts to your words and how he will continue to act in the future. Be careful around him, Natsu, because while he may be finding more friends…he doesn’t seem like he is in a better place than when I last saw him. Something has been bothering him, and we have to figure out what it is before it is too late.”

He was about to reply when he felt something different in the air. It was getting warmer. Usually, he would just assume someone had been trying to make it more comfortable in here, but with the weird sound and now, some strange smell in the air, Natsu wasn’t so sure. It smelled kind of like Zeref, but not like him at the same time. Whatever floral smell he had detected in Zeref seemed to exist on this guy, but rather than smelling like death, the smell of burnt meat seemed to cling to the man instead. It made him wrinkle his nose in distaste, wondering why anyone would want to eat something as disgusting as burnt food, but he didn’t really question it too much. That smell was dangerous, at least, that’s what his instincts told him. His instincts had rarely been wrong before, so he jumped to his feet and grabbed Mavis’ wrist suddenly.

“We’ve gotta get out of here.” Natsu glanced around, spotting Lahar still scowling between two bookshelves of the library. He dragged Mavis over to him, before grabbing the other man and dragging him along to. Both wizards stumbled along after him, neither one really able to keep up with his energetic run. “Something doesn’t feel right…” He added, smelling the air again with a frown.

Watching him, Lahar’s scowl lessened slightly and turned into a simple frown. “If someone else is here, it is likely due to the fact that this is a public library. There is no need to run, Natsu.”

“Lahar is right, just calm down Natsu. I’m sure there’s a good reason for…whatever it is you’re feeling.” Mavis seemed uncertain about how to reason with him.

Sniffing the air again, Natsu felt his back stiffen. There was something that smelled like smoke now, but oddly, it didn’t smell tasty like most flames. Something about it had the same burnt meat smell as the person he smelled before, and it made him recoil from the idea of eating it. However, smoke almost always meant fire, so he knew it had to be edible somehow. Frowning, he began to search for the source of the smell as he ran passed the front counter. The girl behind it watched him lazily, barely glancing up as he dragged his friends out from the library.

By his side, Lahar seemed to frown. “Wait…I think I smell smoke. Is something on fire?” The rune knight captain smelled the air, catching the hint of the smell growing stronger every second.

“Yeah, but that’s not what was bugging me at first.” As if on cue, Natsu stopped just outside, turning to his left to spot hints of fire eating away at the grass in front of the library. The flames were dark black, looking mildly disturbing as they climbed towards the library. Slowly, they began to consume the building as well, growing even larger as more fuel was added to the flames. Glaring at them, Natsu crouched down and decided to end this fire quickly, before that girl inside could get hurt. “Give me a sec, I’ve gotta take care of this first.”

Opening his mouth, Natsu began to inhale deeply to swallow the flames. Powering up seemed like a good plan anyway, if there was some creep wandering around that had set the library on fire. Maybe someone was trying to frame Fairy Tail and get the guild arrested again. After all, Mavis had been inside, along with a rune knight meant to arrest the guild members if something went wrong. The timing would have worked well, and in a weird way, it seemed like it might have worked out for them.

The thought made him angry, ready to fight the next stranger that came his way. However, that was when the flames he was swallowing finally hit his throat. Despite their rancid taste, there had been an extra heat to the flames that seemed to mask it and make them tolerable in his mouth. However, that heat seemed to increase as soon as it slid down his neck. For the first time as a dragon slayer, fire actually seemed to be burning him. He choked, coughing violently and stopping at once as his throat began to feel raw, almost like it was on fire. The flames still lingered on the ground as he did so, stumbling back slightly and pressing his hands to his neck. Some of the flames had gone down, and his chest was beginning to hurt too. He had a feeling that this was going to last for a bit, but right now, he wanted to find the one responsible for making that fire in the first place.

He felt Mavis touch his back, glancing at him with a frown. “This isn’t right. Dragon slayers are always able to eat magic of their element…” She paused, removing her hand and placing it on her chin. Then, her eyes widened and she took a step back. “Natsu’s right, we have to get out of here. There is only one type of fire that Natsu shouldn’t be capable of eating…one flame that is even more powerful than his magic.”

She turned to leave, grabbing Lahar on her way, but her path was blocked. Standing in the street just in front of the library was a man with a wild mane of blond hair. He was dressed on some strange orange and black skirt-like pants, tied on with a red ribbon. The fabric for his pants seemed to wrap around over the left side of his chest, covering only a single shoulder and leaving his right side exposed. On that side, Natsu could see the hints of a guild mark hidden behind some of his hair, though his focus ended up on the man’s wild red eyes. Those eyes reminded him of Zeref, when the black wizard was going through one of his crazier episodes.

“Seems like a least one of you fairies understands your predicament.” The man smirked and laughed maniacally. “After all, it was God who gave humans the knowledge of fire. Neither humans or dragons created fire. It was the Gods!”

Leaning back, Mavis seemed to look nervous as she glanced between the opposing wizard and Natsu. Scowling, the dragon slayer ignored her and stepped forward, though. “Oh yeah? Well, I don’t need to be a dragon or a human to take down a god. I just need a good punch and my friends by my side.” With that, he smirked and let fire dance around his hand, but Mavis grabbed his wrist suddenly and shook her head.

“Be careful!” He blinked at her, uncertain about what the problem was. “He’s a God Slayer, Natsu. It’s a lost magic…I read about it once, when I was a child. Just as you can eat fire, so can he. However, the flames he creates are designed to kill gods…and are inedible to dragon slayers due to their immense heat.”

“That’s right!” Another laugh came from the man as black flames began forming around Zancrow’s hands in return. “The name’s Zancrow, and that’s the last name you’ll ever be learning. After all, no one can stop Grimoire Heart, the most powerful guild in all of Fiore!”

With that, Zancrow moved forward, pulling his flaming hand back slightly. “Fire God’s Explosive Flame!” He launched his arm forward towards Natsu, sending the flames flying towards the dragon slayer. Startled, Natsu moved to dodge. He ran to his right, only for the flames to curve and collide with his back in a massive explosion. Pain flooded his senses, and for the first time in as long as he could remember, he felt like he was overheating. His skin was burning, and he couldn’t swallow these flames. 

Angry, Natsu tried to counter those flames with his own. Orange fire erupted within the black haze, creating flashes of light as the black fire faded away. Angry, Natsu turned towards Zancrow to retaliate for that attack. “I don’t know who you are or why you came here, but you messed with the wrong person! Fire Dragon’s Roar!” Fire erupted from his mouth, flying towards Zancrow in an instant. However, Natsu saw the truth behind Mavis’ warning firsthand. 

Zancrow stood proudly, swallowing the flames as if he was bored. When he finished, he performed a mock yawn, pressing his hand to his mouth for a moment. Once it dropped, he gave Natsu a bright smirk, one that made his red eyes seemed to glow with an inner insanity. His head tilted slightly, and black flames danced along his hands as he stepped closer to the dragon slayer. “Is that all you’ve got? Seems like it’s time to show you that a dragon can never defeat a god!” A maniacal laugh echoed around them, from his mouth, leaving Natsu chilled. This guy was strong, scarily so. However, he had to stop him, before he got through to hurt this town. Natsu did not know what they were after, but he could tell already that it wasn’t anything good. Flames of his own grew in response to Zancrow’s, and as they faced off against each other, Lahar and Mavis only watched on in silent terror, unsure of just who the victor would be in this battle of flames. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Returning to town from a rather annoying mission, Laxus was on his way back to the guild hall. It was dark outside, and following behind him were the members of the Thunder Legion. The job had been given by some old geezer in town, wanting some relic of his past back. The guy had asked for Fairy Tail to go find a flower from some rainbow-like garden he visited in the past. The issue had come into proving it was actually from that garden. Each trip Laxus made to get that flower had never been enough. The old man sad that the flower had too many petals, or that the colors weren’t vibrant enough for his garden. As a result, Laxus was tired and irritated. He had been in and out of town nearly twenty times in the past three days, and he was just sick of the sight of trains and flowers. He vowed to never take a mission like this again. At the moment, he’d rather pick a fight with Zeref than go flower searching yet again.

The entire reason he had taken that job was so he could take it easy and relax for a bit. With all of the chaos going on around Fairy Tail, he just needed to get away. They had just been arrested, and Master went on some strange mission again. He just hoped that this time the guy came back alive, and not insanely thinking he had to die again. That just got too creepy last time, and he didn’t want to be the one chosen for a mission of that nature again.

Oshibana seemed normal, all things considered. Walking down the main street from the train station, Laxus watched as the empty streets seemed to flicker to life with shadows as he walked passed a few lacrima illuminating the streets. The moon was full, hanging brightly in the sky, but something still felt odd. For some strange reason, Laxus felt like he could smell smoke in the air, but he didn’t know where it was coming from. He paused for a moment, glancing up at the sky and crossing his arms over his chest. Maybe he’d be able to spot the smoke, though with the darkness, he doubted he’d see much.

However, as Laxus gazed into the sky, he did spot something rather strange. “What the hell is that?” He questioned, feeling Evergreen pause and stand by his side. The other wizards joined his gaze, spotting the massive airship hovering above Oshibana. It seemed to be a little bit away from the center of town, hovering above some residential area away from the guild. It was odd, and mildly concerning, but for now, Laxus needed to figure out what Fairy Tail was doing about it.

“It looks like an airship.” Freed commented, frowning at the thing. “However, its presence here seems odd. Oshibana does not strike me as the type of town that is particularly popular, and with this time of night, an attack is far more likely. However, Oshibana is also not the type of town to really provide any gain if attacked…” He began to try and puzzle out their purpose, while Laxus took a step closer to the ship. There was a street that he was near that could lead towards it, so he turned to move forward.

“Damn it, why do I always have to be the one to deal with this crap?” Laxus complained, but he felt a certain wariness in his veins. 

Smiling at him, Evergreen crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, you are the only one suited to a job of this magnitude. Everyone knows that you are the strongest wizard in the guild, Laxus.”

“Well, what about his old man?” Bixlow grinned. “He’s a wizard saint, so shouldn’t Laxus be one too?”

Glaring at him, Laxus resisted the urge to shout. “I don’t wanna hear about that old geezer, and I don’t wanna hear the three of you talk. Just shut up for a moment, will ya?”

With that, the thunder legion went quiet, though they did whisper amongst themselves. Sighing, Laxus decided it was the best he could hope for. However, at that moment, Laxus was stopped as a man came walking out from a side street by the houses. He was large, with almost-blue skin. He had dark black hair and wore almost nothing but a dark blue cape and black underwear.

The man blinked at them for a moment. However, behind him, Evergreen and Bickslow had been too absorbed in their conversation to notice him. Evergreen walked directly into the man, stumbling back slightly and adjusting her glasses as she pulled back. The man had reached out to steady her, but then he slowly turned away. He seemed to mumble to himself for a bit, too quiet for even Laxus to hear as he fiddled with his fingers and blushed slightly. “Eh? What was that?” Laxus watched the man smile, taking a deep breath.

“I see you’ve come to try and steal my heart! Oh, this is so beautiful, a lovely woman begging and pleading to make me hers. I must focus on my mission, despite the distraction this poses!” He seemed to overly rush his words as he finally spoke, but the dramatics made Laxus pause and frown.

Behind him, Evergreen stared with wide eyes, her hand held up in objection but hardly any words came out. “Huh? You can’t possibly…I mean, you didn’t think that I…”

“Enough, my sweet! Speaking will only ruin the moment…” He trailed off, getting quiet again as he glanced away. “Oh, she must love my glorious locks, that is the truth of her love! I look too good for anyone to resist.”

“Is it just me, or is he obsessed with himself?” Freed whispered towards Laxus, but the man seemed to hear.

Turning towards them, Kain glared harshly. “Other men…you’ve come to steal my woman away from me, haven’t you?” 

Laxus wanted to smack his forehead. This guy was too oblivious to even be considered a threat. He was almost worse than the flowers, though maybe soon, he would get there. “Oi, could you focus and make sense for two seconds? We’re trying to get to that airship over there, so just get the hell out of our way and we’ll leave you alone.”

“Airship?” The man turned around, glancing at the floating ship for a moment. Then, his gaze returned to them with a glare. “Ah, I see. You have come not only to steal my woman, but to attack my guild as well! I shall show you my wrath, but first, I’d like to introduce you to…Mr. Cursy!” The man produced a small cloth doll hidden somewhere within his cloak. Now in his hand, the wizard seemed to wave it around with a smile. 

“A doll?” Freed asked.

Grinning, Bickslow snorted. “Looks like another baby to add to my collection.” 

Reaching forward, Kain got uncomfortably close to Laxus. The dragon slayer leaned back, grimacing as the man reached towards his head and seemed to pluck out some of his hair. “Ouch! Hey, what the hell is your problem? What kind of a guild are you even talking about?”

Smiling, the man pressed a single strand of Laxus’ blond hair into the doll. “Oh, that would be Grimoire Heart. I may not look like it, but I am a powerful wizard, one of the Seven Kin of Purgatory. All of us specialize in some form of lost magic, though Mr. Cursy is special. With him, I have complete control over any enemy!”

Raising the doll in the air, Kain seemed to smile darkly. “Now, let me show you what happens…when other men try to steal away my woman.” Lifting the doll, Kain seemed to thrust it to the right.. Feeling like he was tugged by an unseen force, Laxus was dragged towards Freed, who stood just beside him. When Kain lifted the doll’s arm outward, Laxus did the same and found his hand formed a fist. It collided with Freed’s arm, sending both of them sprawling onto the ground.

“If you think we’re just gonna stand back and let you hurt Laxus, you’ve got another thing coming.” Evergreen smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. Lifting one to her face, she began to pull her glasses off to gaze into his eyes. “I’ve got a few tricks of my own and—what are you doing?” 

Kain had slammed his eyes shut, with tears flying from the corners of his eyes. “You hate me too! Why have you left me, after our brief moment of love? I will show you what happens to cheaters like you! You will perish along with your friends, for I have a second surprise!” With that, Kain pulled out a second doll, and along with it, another strand of hair. Evergreen gasped, touching her own hair with a frown. “I stole it away, when we shared our loving embrace earlier.”

“What loving embrace?” Evergreen demanded, sounding outraged at his words. However, Kain threw the doll on the ground just after her words. With that, Evergreen fell forward onto the street, her face digging into the ground as she grimaced. 

“How cruel! Well, allow me to show you just how cruel I can be too.” Smirking, Kain stepped forward, letting his foot land on the back of the second Mr. Cursy. Evergreen gasped in pain, while Laxus turned back with a glare, This guy was getting on his nerves, and he really had to do something quick. 

Rising to his feet, Laxus tried to turn around to fight. However, the other wizard seemed to notice him moving and scowled. “Oh no, you will not interfere! We shall have a bit of fun first, before you die. Oh, I know! How about you do the honors of killing your friends for me? It would save me the trouble of getting their blood out of my hair later on tonight.”

Horrified, Laxus could only stare with wide eyes as he was forced to turn on Bickslow as well. The other wizard had his dolls ready to fight, but with Laxus now between him and Kain, the human possession wizard seemed to hesitate. “No…I can’t attack Laxus. Let him go!” With a shout, he tried to send his dolls around Laxus. “Baryon Formation!” Instead of focusing on defense, he tried to unleash an attack on Kain. The dolls were now behind Laxus, spinning around in a pentagonal shape. A green beam seemed to blast forward from them, creating a massive explosion in the spot where Kain stood.

Thinking they had won, Laxus couldn’t help but smirk and crane his neck to watch the aftermath. The guy had talked tough, but he really wasn’t much of an issue. However, his smile vanished when he saw something being held in the air from the man’s hand. Another doll, this one made of steel rather than cloth, with a strand of dark black hair rested in his grip. “Allow me to introduce, Mr. Cursy 3!” With a smile, the man gathered all three of his dolls and began to laugh. “With this, I am unstoppable!” His entire skin was coated in steel, just like his doll. Taking a step back, Laxus was beginning to wonder if Kain was right. All of them except Bickslow and Freed were nothing but his puppets, and with Laxus constantly begin forced to fight his own friends, there was no path for them to move against this enemy. Cursing to himself, Laxus oddly found himself wishing he had been forced to go out searching for flowers again. At least that way, he wouldn’t have to watch helplessly as his friends were hurt by his own strength.


	88. An Unusual Challenge

Arriving back in Oshibana, Jellal and Erza noted that it was much later than they had anticipated. In the train station, Erza frowned and gazed around at the nearly empty building. Most people were sleeping right now, but a few late-night travelers lingered around. If they had work that forced them to leave, they were forced to travel this late. Smiling at them, Erza walked passed quietly to move towards the exit.

“I am not certain where all of our members went, but this should be a good place to start.” Erza was talking to Jellal, forming more of a plan for their mission. “Master did not intend to leave Oshibana, so he is likely somewhere in town. If it is open, I believe our best option is to check the library.”

Nodding, Jellal seemed to agree. “Of course, though, at this hour, I highly doubt there are many businesses running. It might be best to get some rest first, Erza.”

“We don’t have time for that! The guild master has suffered far longer than he should have, we cannot spare a single moment of lollygagging in our mission to free him.” She was passionate about her words, but at the same time, she felt herself sway slightly on her feet. Erza had not been able to sleep on the train ride, with how on edge she felt. Part of it was from the mission, but the majority was simply from Jellal’s presence. Being near him brought back old memories, as well as old feelings. Erza couldn’t deny the connection she still felt to the man, yet he seemed to be trying to distance himself from her for some reason.

Jellal smiled at her, shaking his head slightly. Pulling the hood back over to cover his hair, Jellal kept his head down and tried to remain hidden. “You can’t help anyone if you can’t think straight, Erza. I can search for him while you rest, if it helps. Unlike you, I did manage to rest on our way here.” Yes, and she remembered him doing that. He had seemed so unguarded like that, with his eyes shut and his head leaning against the window of the train. As the scenery flew by them, Erza had watched him breathing calmly, with a small smile on his face and parted lips that kept exhaling air at random moments.

The sight had entranced her for a moment, before she forced herself to look at anything else other than him. “I…I’m used to it. Sleep isn’t required for me to function, Jellal. In fact, I’ve known Master to go for months without sleep at times, and he has never once suffered any repercussions.” At least, she didn’t think he had.

Raising an eyebrow at her, Jellal had a light smile on his face. “Is that so? I find that quite difficult to believe, however, he has also found a way to survive for centuries. I suppose evading sleep would be a simple task after that.” Erza forced herself to bite her lip, not wanting to speak about just where Zeref’s immortality came from. “However, you are not him, Erza. I can see it on your face. Getting some rest would do you good.”

Pressing open the door, Jellal gestured for Erza to go ahead of him. Ducking out passed him, Erza sighed and felt the heaviness of her eyelids. “Maybe you are right. I won’t be able to focus when we get to Era if I am about to collapse. Conserving my strength is best…and to do that, I need to sleep.”

As she spoke, Erza stumbled a bit and ran into someone. “Oh, excuse me. I have been on a long journey and am not as observant as—“

“Fourth place.” Her words were calm and steady, gazing between them stiffly. With red eyes and bright pink hair, the girl looked almost like a child. Her gaze flickered over towards Jellal, studying him for a moment. “Third place. Two high-ranking individuals, this was unexpected. However, I’ll still deal with both of you quickly.”

“What are you ranking?” Erza was lost, uncertain as to what was going on as the girl widened her stance, raising her hands. Behind her, swords of bright white light seemed to form from nothing as the girl activated her magic. Startled, Erza jumped back and unsheathed her own blade to defend with. 

Still impassive, the girl gazed into Erza’s eyes steadily. “It’s the ranking for the order I’ve decided to kill you in.”

“Kill who?” Jellal demanded.

Tilting her head, Meredy sent the blades flying towards both of them. Erza deflected the first two with her own sword, while moving agilely around the others. By her side, Jellal activated his own magic, using meteor to speed around the attack with ease and avoid being struck down. “Why all of Fairy Tail, of course. You are harboring our greatest treasure, and thus, we must ensure that you can never reclaim it once it is ours.” 

Startled, Erza blinked and stared at her with wide eyes. “But…Jellal isn’t…we don’t even have a treasure for you to claim!” She considered pointing out who Jellal was, but that wasn’t the main issue at work here.

Glancing between them, Meredy calmly seemed to assess the damage. Her blades had cut through the train station, and now, people were fleeing into the streets. Screams echoed around them as people rushed for their homes. Meredy watched as they left, not moving to attack again with them near. “I don’t have to explain our plans to you. All I have to do is kill you…though you are altering my ordering. However…in the end, it matters little. Makarov would have been second, but he is not in this city anymore.”

“Of course, so you are trying to kill our Master?” Erza glared at her and clenched her teeth tightly together. Slowly, she began to requip into her heaven’s wheel armor in response. “I will not allow that to happen!”

Standing calmly, Meredy frowned. “Why would we want to kill our treasure?” That was enough to make Erza freeze, her eyes widening. 

“Then who…who is first?”

A dark look flashed across her face, and as people cleared away from the station, Meredy’s magic opened up once more. “First place…that place is reserved for Gray, Gray Fullbuster. The man who killed Ultear’s mother…the man who hurt Ultear…” she seemed to shake a moment, pain flashing on her face for the first time.

Her voice trailed off as she hung her head down, her swords spiraling around and flying forward yet again. This time, Erza was faster and more able to block with her better suited armor. Jellal moved again with a grimace. As they focused on their dodge, Erza didn’t quite catch what Meredy shouted. Behind her, a rumbling was heard as the train station seemed to lose some of its stability from the attack. Holes appeared in the walls, and the building looked ragged on the outside now. Spots that didn’t quite tear through now had blades embedded into the walls. The street itself didn’t look much better. Blades that had lost momentum too early or had been deflected by Erza’s sword seemed to have left cracks in the pavement. 

As the magic keeping the swords intact faded away, the light vanished and left holes in the spots where swords had once stood. “That mark on her cloak…Erza, we are not dealing with ordinary wizards. She is from Grimoire Heart, one of the dark guilds that make up the Baram Alliance.”

Eyeing Meredy, Erza began to smile. “I see. So, it is simply another dark guild seeking out Zeref’s power.” Fairy Tail hadn’t been directly attacked before like this, but she had heard of Zeref talking about how he was wanted by many dark wizards. It only made sense that they were finally facing off against one dark guild as a result.

“Zeref will bring about the Ultimate Magic World…and once he does so, my village will come back. I will regain everything I’ve lost, so I will not fail!” With that, Meredy seemed to get far more intense with her attack. She launched another attack, this one making blades of blue light rather than yellow. They shot forward, making Erza jump to try and dodge them. However, she did not see the entire range of her attack. With wide eyes, Erza stared as her trajectory made her body land center for a direct attack from one of the blades. As it neared her chest, she prepared herself for the pain.

Something collided with her body, but it wasn’t sharp like she had expected. Her gaze spotted the dark blue of Jellal’s robe, her eyes wide as the man shoved her to the ground and let the other blades pass over their heads. “Stay down.” She felt Jellal press close to her, pinning her to the ground already and making his comment rather useless. She could feel his breath fanning against her hair, and the sensation of being so close to him made heat rush into her cheeks. This was a battle, she didn’t have time for thoughts like this, but she couldn’t help the feeling of her racing heart.

As the swords faded away, Jellal rose back to his feet to glare at Meredy. With a swift motion, he pulled his hood down and dropped his robe to the ground. Now, he was dressed in a form-fitting dark black shirt and dark blue pants. It was designed to give him more speed, Erza realized, though she didn’t say anything as he focused on his enemy. “You’ve attempted to hurt Erza. I will not tolerate attacks on her…not anymore. Someone recently taught me that I must fight to protect what I care for, and I will do just that when you threaten those I hold dear.”

“Jellal…” Erza whispered, breathing hard as she sat up. Her eyes were wide in shock, feeling an unexpected warmth in her chest at his words. Maybe he only meant it as a friendly gesture, but a part of her wished for more. 

What neither of them expected was the dark smile growing on Meredy’s face. “You two love each other, don’t you?” Blinking, Jellal avoided her gaze and looked towards the right. Erza did something similar, though her gaze turned to the left. Both of them turned red at her comment, and began stuttering pointless denials that she ignored. “Well, that makes this so much simpler. Sensory Link.” 

Around Erza’s wrist, a band of hearts seemed to form. Glowing pink, the band looked almost like a chain in a way, despite the odd shape. Touching it, Erza knew it would not be something she could remove without magic. However, as it wrapped around her wrist, she began to feel something odd. It felt like there was pressure on her feet, despite the fact that she was sitting on the ground. Glancing upward, she saw Jellal frowning as well, observing his own wrist with a frown. A matching band snared his own wrist, and as he tried to study it, Meredy attacked. A single blade shot out towards Jellal, one that he noticed a moment too late. He moved to dodge, but it still slashed through his arm. He gasped in pain, and as he did so, Erza cried out and clutched her own arm. Blood wetted her hand, despite the fact that she had not been dealt any injury.

Smiling at them, Meredy stepped forward. “This is my magic, the ability to make two people’s senses one. Any pain I inflict upon one of you is mirrored on the other…and if one of you should die, so should the other. This is the most efficient way to end your lives…so I can move on and locate Gray Fullbuster to complete our mission.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Facing off against Ultear, Zeref found himself feeling far more stable than he had in a long time. His mind was clear, and he had a goal in mind. Stopping Grimoire Heart was all he had to do, and right now, that meant there was really only one person to deal with. The time wizard was the only one in his way, however, and she was looking arrogant as she gazed back towards him.

Zeref saw Jackson, still hovering in the hallway, as she stepped closer to Zeref, ignoring the non-wizard for now. “Do you really think you can stop me in your current state? Maybe with your full strength, I am weaker, but right now, your power sleeps and I am the one who will be the victor here.” Confidently, Ultear held out her arm and let an orb rise from within the gauntlet covering her wrist.

“Current state?” Zeref chuckled darkly, shaking his head at the woman. “My dear, I’ve never slept to begin with. Much like rumors of my death, rumors that have spread about the supposed ‘key’ to unlock my power are nothing but a myth. I simply haven’t had any desire to act in this era…but now that you are attempting to force my hand, I am feeling inclined to become active once again.”

With that, he was tempted to kill the woman before him. He raised his hand to do so, feeling magic well within him, but that was when he spotted Jackson yet again. The man seemed to be frowning, watching for a moment before rushing out from his spot. “Stop this! If you want my help…then retain your sanity. Fight back against this, and I just might show you a way to eradicate it entirely.”

He was foolish, but Zeref had to admire his courage. Staring at him, Zeref let the orb of black magic building in his palm fade away. “Such odd phrasing…you had no idea of my struggles when you first came to my aid, yet somehow, a single moment revealed it all to you. I wonder, just how have to learned so much?” Behind Jackson, Ultear seemed to move to throw her orb, but he didn’t want to deal with her at the moment. Raising his hand, the entire world around him froze for a moment, leaving only him and Jackson free from the effects of his spell.

Watching, Zeref noticed how Jackson glanced around at first, hesitant to speak until he noticed Ultear’s frozen state. “Time magic…well, I guess that’s one way to deal with her. Come on, I’ll explain while we get away from this mess. Right now, you need to get as far away from this battle as possible. From what I just saw, you are on the verge of no longer valuing life, aren’t you?”

Once again, Zeref frowned and observed Jackson for a moment. “I…yes, but how do you know such things?”

“We don’t have that kind of time right now.” Jackson sighed, running a hand through his hair. “For now, let’s just say that I know a thing or two about curses. The easiest explanation is that I had…misinterpreted my mother’s condition, for quite some time.”

Eyeing him carefully, Zeref slowly began to nod. “I see. So, you intend to join the others, claiming I need to be freed from this curse? Will you too claim that I am deserving of a peaceful life?”

Glancing towards him, Jackson shrugged. “I can’t say. That name…if you’re really that wizard, you’ve been dealing with this for a long time. Whatever you plan on doing, just know that I will personally be the one to stop you if you lose sight of the value of life. Any crimes you may have committed in the past…that’ll all seem like child’s play in comparison to someone with full control of your power.”

Walking through the frozen town, Zeref tilted his head slightly. This man was getting more intriguing every second, with his knowledge of just how the curse worked. “How do you intend on doing that?” 

“By finishing a task I gave myself long ago.” He didn’t explain any further, but he did glance towards Zeref with a frown. “Look, you claim to want my help…and I want to give it to you, but I need something that can show me to trust you. Just what do you plan on doing with your life, Zeref? Not only have you tampered with life and death, this spell alone shows me you’ve done quite a bit of work with time as well. Will you continue angering the gods, or will you find a more peaceful way to live your life?”

Closing his eyes, Zeref stopped and gazed up at the sky. The frozen airship hovered above them, massive and daunting from this angle. “I don’t know…there is no guarantee that I will leave things alone. Every loss pushes me closer to the edge, and one day, I fear I will not return. Jackson, you are far closer to the truth than you realize. I’ve fallen over that abyss before, and I’ve become the monster you fear I am nearing…that warning is one I give myself every day. Yet…I have no other path to choose anymore. If I wish for peace…I can either die or end my curse. Death would require a monster to accomplish. Ending my curse is an impossibility. As such, the only path left, the only choice that leads to peace for the entire world in the end, is to let go of everything I hold dear, and embrace the true monster the world wants me to be.”

“What if ending your curse was possible?” Jackson seemed to speak quietly, glancing towards Zeref. “What would you choose then?”

Hesitating, Zeref found himself uncertain of the answer. He had let go of hope for that long ago, realizing that some curses weren’t meant to be broken. Finding a cure, while Jackson had inspired him to at least attempt that in his free time, had not been something he thought he would accomplish. “I…I don’t know. I suppose that would depend on what it required to accomplish such a feat…on what I would lose in the process.”

“Prove it, then.” Zeref frowned, uncertain of what he meant. “Prove to me that you are willing to change, Zeref. If you show me that you can get through this ordeal, without killing anyone, and without your unnatural magic, then I will tell you what I know. The cost is high, and I cannot guarantee you’d be willing to pay it…but, there is a path that could free you, Zeref.”

Another challenge to make this interesting. Frowning, Zeref glanced towards him. “Define unnatural magic. If I am to participate, I wish to know what is off-limits.”

“Time manipulation, whatever magic you have that kills on sight, any magic that resurrects the dead—“

Thinking of Natsu, Zeref interjected. “What if someone that is already resurrected is already fighting? Or if someone of that nature joins the battle?” He didn’t think he could force the dragon slayer to stop simply because he asked.

“Well…I guess that’s fine. It’s not like I can expect you to predict the actions of others. Just…try not to let the town get destroyed too much. I kind of like it here, it’s where I grew up.” With that, Jackson gave Zeref a smile and stepped back. In a flash, Zeref unleashed his spell and time resumed its usual flow. 

“Then I accept your challenge. I will find you when this is done, Officer, and I expect you to keep your promise.” With that, Zeref teleported away, needing to contemplate his true plan. It had actually been drawn from his final question posed to Jackson, one he hadn’t considered until now. He had almost forgotten about the guild formed by his demons. For once, he planned on putting their power to good use. 

Leaving Oshibana for a moment, Zeref found himself arriving in the darkened halls of Cube, the home of Tartaros. Few could even locate this place, but Zeref knew his demons well, at least, this group of demons. Their goal had always been the same, wishing to awaken END so they could destroy himself. Now, however, he had a new goal in mind, and he was going to use his demons to accomplish it.

Walking swiftly through the halls, Zeref quickly found the throne room. It started as a narrow room, with a long hall that lead towards a single chair. Around the chair, the room seemed to grow wider to support a larger audience. Lounging in the throne was a familiar man with dark purple hair mostly pulled up into a ponytail. In one of his arms, the Book of END remained, clutched tightly to the side of his black coat with white fabric used as trim around the cuffs.

Approaching him, Zeref smiled brightly as he sat up with a frown. “An intruder? How did I not sense your presence?” At least, that was what he said before his eyes widened. “No…it can’t be…Lord Zeref, you’ve finally come to us so we can fulfill our destiny. I have finally finished my ultimate curse, and I have been dying to use it on you.” With a grin, Mard Geer stood back, ready to activate it, but Zeref shook his head.

“Halt, Mard Geer. Battle is not my desire today, despite what I intended from all of you when I first created you.” 

Orders were something that came naturally to Zeref, from his time within Alvarez. “But, my lord, surely you still desire an end to your life? That is our entire purpose for living…the goal you gave us..” Zeref held a hand out, stopping his words with a dark smile.

“My goals have changed, and now, I simply need warriors. Can you demons still listen to my orders, after all this time, or have you decided to rebel?” With a slight grimace, Mard Geer scowled at Zeref.

“I will not be talked down to…”

“And I will not be ignored.” Their gazed met, and Zeref passively watched Mard Geer as he seemed to debate his next move.

With a slight sneer, Mard Geer broke his gaze away and rose to his feet. “As you wish, my lord.” He gave a slight bow, though Zeref could tell that this was not something he wished to do. Making a mental note to keep an eye on them, Zeref continued on with his plans.

“I don’t think we’ll need many members…likely, just you, Kyoka, and Seilah would be sufficient for this task.” Stepping forward, Zeref began to walk closer to Mard Geer. “Oh, and before I forget…the Book of END belongs to me. Return it, and we will move on to finish our task.”

“Never! I will awaken our master, and prove you wrong! We are your greatest creations, and we can bring your death about, this I am sure of.” 

Narrowing his eyes, Zeref nearly reverted him into his book form, but then stopped. If he did that, he would then be breaking the rules of his agreement with Jackson. “I gave you life. I could just as easily take it away, Mard Geer.” When he couldn’t act, a warning would prove just as sufficient.

Scowling, Mard Geer reluctantly handed the tome to Zeref. Feeling the old leather book in his grip, Zeref felt a strange comfort. It had been a long time since he saw this novel, and he had not realized how much he missed having this connection to his brother close at hand. 

Pressing a hand to his temple, Mard Geer seemed to close his eyes for a moment. “Kyoka, Seilah, I need to speak with you at once. The rest of you, continue about as usual.” The words seemed to echo around the building, making Zeref smile at the power of his demons. They had progressed since he last found them, becoming far more organized than he thought they’d be.

After a few moments of waiting in silence, the doors to the room burst open behind Zeref. They made a slight bang as they collided with the walls of the hall, but the noise faded when they slammed shut once more. Seated back in his throne, Mard Geer waited for them to finish walking towards him, while Zeref stood next to the chair. He didn’t quite know entirely how much had changed from his demons, but he knew that they were the best army he had at the moment. Fairy Tail was scattered right now, so he needed strong beings willing to follow his command as soon as possible.

“You called for us, sir?” Kyoka asked, standing next to a woman with dark hair and golden horns peering out from within her hair. A strange marking rested on her forehead, with markings of a similar style curving around both of her upper arms. Neither Kyoka nor Seilah had changed a bit since he last saw them.

Both of the female demons knelt before Mard Geer, though Kyoka glanced up for a moment and blinked at the sight of the man by her leader’s side. “We are being given a new mission…from Lord Zeref himself.”

“Lord…Zeref?” Kyoka commented, blnking towards the man with wide eyes.

Watching him with a small smile, Seilah nodded. “I am humbled to have the opportunity to serve you, my lord. I have a feeling that this will make an excellent story one day.”

Rising and moving to stand before them, Zeref smiled. “Rise, I have no time to waste on letting you grovel on the floor.” With that, the demons stood back on their feet, watching as Zeref began to move for the exit. “Come with me, I shall explain on the way. We have a dark guild to destroy, and while I cannot allow you to kill them…I have no qualms about leaving them injured. Do not let a single ally of mine perish, or I shall destroy all of you immediately.” He saw the looks of shock on their faces, but slowly, Kyoka began to grin.

“There is a reason we all seek to please him. I never realized our creator was so delightfully terrifying.” Kyoka seemed pleased by the fact, while Seilah nodded in agreement. Together, the four of them walked out towards the top of Cube. From there, Zeref drew on his magic once more, teleporting them all to Oshibana once more. His demons were free, and this time, under his command. It was about time the people of this world remembered why he was feared, especially his former student that now seemed to have grown to love chaos and war more than the family he had once been a part of creating.


	89. Harsh Dictator

Wishing to save Natsu and Mavis above anyone else, Zeref brought his demons directly in front of the library first. There, Zeref spotted Natsu facing off against another wizard, with Lahar and Mavis observing from the grassy yard of the library. In the streets, Natsu was thrown back with a vicious punch as the man laughed maniacally over him. “So weak! Our guild only employs the strongest, that’s why you’ll never win!”

With that, the man seemed to prepare another attack, with black flames taking form in his hands. “I think I’ve had enough fun for today. Let’s finish this.” With a dark grin, Zancrow’s flames grew stronger as he prepared to launch his attack. However, at that moment thorns seemed to come to life from the grass. They rose and twisted, thorns looking deadly on their sides. Growing quickly, they snaked around Zancrow and jerked the man backward, forcing him to turn around and face Zeref and the demons standing behind him.

“I’ve captured him. Really, calling yourself the strongest guild is a bit of an overstatement, if you ask me.” Mard Geer smiled darkly at the man as Kyoka came to stand by his side.

With a smirk, Zancrow’s flames circled around the thorns, burning them away and granting him release. A small amount of blood trickled from his skin where the thorns had pierced his body, but he seemed to be quite capable of ignoring it. “Now, this looks interesting. Just who are you freaks, and what makes you think you’ve got what it takes to handle Grimoire Heart?”

Eyeing Zancrow carefully, Zeref stepped forward with a scowl. “They are members of Tartaros, a guild that is now under my command.” Slowly, his scowl turned into a dark smile. “Be glad, for I am being tested. This is a rather interesting challenge, defeating an enemy without my full strength, but I will not stop now. You’ve gone after my brother, and you’ve put Mavis’ life in danger…for these things, I shall do everything possible to ensure you suffer.” Glancing back towards Kyoka, Zeref nodded slightly towards the demon.

A slight green light flashed on Zancrow’s forehead, but the man only frowned in confusion. “Is that it?” He began to laugh, his arms opening wide as his shoulder shook. “You guys are pathetic! I can’t believe the mighty Tartaros is made of such weaklings too. If you wish to start a war with Grimoire Heart….I’ll show you that no one can stop the power of a God!”

With that, Zancrow charged forward. His flames danced towards Zeref, but the black wizard only smiled and held out his hand. Stopping the attack, Zeref didn’t even flinch as the flames burned away at his palm. Instead, he squeezed ever so slightly on the man’s fisted hand.

A scream came from Zancrow’s mouth, echoing into the air around them. Zeref felt the man try and jerk his arm back, but the slight pressure that action normally exerted seemed to have become excruciating for the man. His cry of anguish grew louder at the motion, and the resistance against Zeref’s grip ended instantly. “Make it stop! Agh…the pain…why does it hurt so much?” His red eyes were wild, but Zeref just stared calmly at him.

“My curse power allows me to enhance the senses of others. I’ve increased your sensitivity to pain, making your defeat that much quicker.” Kyoka was quick to reply, smiling darkly at the man. She stood just behind Zeref, slightly to his right and she continued gazing over the black wizard’s shoulder for a better view.

Watching them, Natsu scowled and came closer. “Oi, knock that crap off, Zeref! How many times do I have to tell ya not to kill people?” He crossed his arms over his chest, before getting a little braver and grabbing Zeref’s hand. Glancing towards the dragon slayer, Zeref sighed and released Zancrow. The god slayer fell back, clutching his own arm to his chest. Even that action brought about a slight groan from the man, though Zeref ignored it for now.

“I assure you, I will not be killing anyone today. I am rather intrigued about someone I met in town, who claims to know more about this curse than even I know.” His head tilted to the side, smiling as he gazed over at Zancrow. “However, he also wishes to test me first. This battle is my trial…and it appears as if it will be far simpler than I thought. Seilah, silence this fool for me. We have others to attend to before we are done tonight, and I’d rather get this over with quickly.”

Nodding, Seilah smiled and waved her hand towards Zancrow. In an instant, he collapsed to the ground, asleep. “How interesting this tale is becoming…normally, a demon’s tale never includes signs of mercy, but I have a feeling more torment awaits those that have angered Lord Zeref.”

“Of course. Our master is different from other humans. He isn’t afraid to show them true power, and make humans understand that we are all meant to be feared.” Kyoka smiled at that, while Zeref quickly began to move through the streets. Mavis and Natsu both rushed after him, grabbing his arm to stop his progress.

Seeing his action, Mard Geer glared harshly at the dragon slayer and ripped his arm away from Zeref. Turning around, Zeref narrowed his gaze at Mard Geer, watching carefully. “How dare you lay a hand on Lord Zeref? You foolish boy, you know not what powers you toy with.”

“Etherious demons, created by Zeref.” Mavis spoke calmly from behind them, making Mard Geer turn around and blink with surprise. “Specifically, you are the demons that formed the guild known as Tartaros. though even the Council is unaware of your true identities. Zeref told me about you, a long time ago. You may be dangerous, but that does not make me afraid of any of you.”

She stood calmly, watching as the demons actually seemed to glance at Zeref for direction. Watching her, Zeref closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. “Stay out of this battle, Mavis. It is best for everyone…you never were that fond of war, after all.”

“Nor were you.” She countered with ease, standing tall and proud. “I don’t know why you wish to fight…I don’t understand what they are even after, but I know that you have good reasons for the things you do. Don’t forget that we are here to help too, Zeref. You don’t have to rely on these demons to—“

“Yes I do!” His eyes flashed, shouting at Mavis and making her flinch back. Taking a deep breath, Zeref ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm himself. “I have to…until my curse is gone, I cannot rely on anyone else. Either I perish with it, or it perishes earlier, regardless of which path I take, I will be alone until it is gone. That is my destiny, the fate I’ve grown to accept, Mavis. Relying on people like you…we all know what happened a hundred years ago, when I attempted such a thing. Death is the only thing that awaits my allies, thus I will only rely on those deserving to die.” His eyes flickered over to the demons. 

Mard Geer seemed to smile in amusement at Zeref’s comment. “We cannot die, Lord Zeref. I’ve developed a method that will continuously reincarnate us, after each and every life we waste. Kill us as many times as you wish, we will still be your servants.”

It sounded false, coming from the man who wished to lead himself. However, there was truth in that comment. Looking away from all of them, Zeref stopped walking and let his hands clench by his sides. “True. However…there is another reason you shouldn’t fight, Mavis. You claim to be capable of war, to be capable of battling, but do you truly understand the consequences this battle just might have?”

Her expression was dark, but she nodded slowly. “I’m not afraid of seeing more death, or of killing, if it means my family stays safe.”

Still avoiding her gaze, Zeref turned up towards the darkened sky. Clouds seemed to have fluttered into view, blocking the stars from his sight. “What if your enemy was your family?” Mavis remained silent, telling Zeref that he had stunned her into listening for the moment. “Grimoire Heart is lead by a former member of Fairy Tail…one you knew when you were still the guild master. I’ve observed his movements over the years, worried over the direction he had begun to head towards when he first left. He demanded more training…even after leaving the guild, he desired to understand my power. When I refused, he turned to other places to learn the truth…and now, it seems as if he has returned to take me by force, if necessary.”

“You…you’re lying. My friends wouldn’t do something like that…I know them…” She sounded like she was trying to convince herself as well as him.

Finally turning to see her, Zeref watched the way her arms were shaking slightly by her sides. Her toes seemed to curl on the ground, while her green eyes stared and watched their motion. “Precht is Hades, there is no denying it. It is my chosen path to stop him…to show him that this world he seeks to create is nothing more than a dark fantasy.”

“What kind of world does this guy want to make?” Natsu frowned and stared at Zeref. Behind all of them, the black wizard finally noticed Captain Lahar joining as well, listening in silently.

Smiling darkly at them, Zeref let out a slight chuckle. “The opposite of the world I would truly desire…a world where nothing but magic exists, where all non-wizards have perished and left only the strong in power. A world where he feels as if he understands the truth behind all magic, the truth he feels lies somewhere within my past.”

Thinking about it, Zeref realized there was actually a far more efficient way to deal with this threat. He was wasting his time, taking out the members of Grimoire Heart. All he truly had to do was face off against Precht. Glancing towards the others, Zeref let out one last sigh and shook his head. “These three demons will be more than capable of handling any threat we have to face…Seilah, create a story for this battle to come to an end. I am going to meet with…an old friend. I do not wish to be interrupted, so I suggest ensuring that no one wakes up for quite some time.”

“As you wish, Lord Zeref.” With a slight smile, Seilah tilted her head and closed her eyes. Her power rose as she cast her focus over the entire town. In front of Oshibana Station, Jellal and Erza stared in confusion as Meredy collapsed without a single person harming her. In the streets of Oshibana’s residential area, Laxus and Evergreen found themselves freed in an instant, suddenly wondering why Kain had fallen over and stopped forcing them to attack their allies. In the streets nearing the bar, a few citizens wandered out and questioned why some woman with long black hair was sleeping in the streets. Towards the outskirts of town, a child claimed to have seen a tree become a man, then proceed to fall asleep on the ground. Everywhere, members of Grimoire Heart were falling under Seilah’s spell, leaving only one member left for Zeref to find.

His gaze turned towards the airship, wondering if he could still manage this. Usually, his teleportation spell was used to go to places he was already familiar with. This time, he had a destination in mind, but he had never once set foot on the airship that was the home of Grimoire Heart. However, so long as it was within his line of vision, he could at least manage to arrive in the air above the ship. After that, it would be risky. He would have to activate a second teleportation spell while falling, to prevent as much injury as possible and allow him to land on the ship, rather than fall onto it.

Ignoring the sight of Erza and Jellal rushing towards them in the street, Zeref inhaled deeply and drew on his magic. “Master, wait! Jellal has told me—“ Erza began, but he was already gone. Suddenly, Zeref found himself in the air. Wind rushed passed his cheeks, making his robe billow out behind him and throwing his hair around wildly. Blinking his gaze open, Zeref took steady breaths as he gazed below at the oddly shaped flying machine. The deck was visible from here, and with that image in mind, Zeref tried drawing on his magic again.

More pressure seemed to drag him downward as energy rushed in his body. Heat seemed to flood his veins, but with a quick glance, Zeref noted that he had teleported far closer to the ship than he originally intended. In just five seconds, he would collide with the airship and he would not be capable of achieving a stealthy entrance. Focusing even further, Zeref sped the process along. This wasn’t something he was used to doing, relying on his lesser magical talents. However, he found it interesting to go back to a style of magic that had been closer to what he originally began with. His death magic wasn’t interfering for the time being, and it was pleasing him to see the magic circle appear in front of him, activating in an instant and teleporting him just as his face was inches away from the wooden floorboards of the ship. 

While the spell didn’t take him far, it did allow him to land far more softly aboard the main deck of the ship. The sound of a propeller seemed to roar around him, though he knew it was from the machinery deeper within the ship. This entire machine’s energy came from magic, and now that he was within, Zeref intended on finding the creator so he could set his former student straight. Thinking about it further, Zeref actually realized there was another question he had for Precht, the person who had created and watched over Lumen Histoire while Zeref dealt with his grief in isolation on Tenrou Island. The memory of Edolas’ August flashed in his mind, making his gaze harden. If Precht had hidden the fact that Zeref had family left in this world, the man would regret it. Zeref would make sure of it personally, even if he had to give up his chance at freedom to teach the man his lesson. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Aboard the airship, Zeref felt oddly calm as he approached a set of dark black doors that led to the interior rooms of the place. Considering how angry he had been just moments ago, it would seem odd that he was calm. However, he had realized just how close he was to breaking his deal with Jackson. Even if he managed to avoid using his magic against Precht, he still would have lost something vital to continue on this path. If he forgot the value of life, all of this would be for nothing. Without that, he would not care about Mavis or Natsu, or even the fact that August just might be his son. A few deep breaths had steadied himself, and now, he had regained some measure of control over his thoughts. Hopefully, he would not be having such frequent outbursts for a while. It seemed to be getting tedious to deal with, and if he didn’t hurry, he would personally destroy the life he had been trying to build over the last century.

Opening the door, Zeref gazed around the interior of Grimoire Heart. It began as a narrow hall, with wooden walls and floors. Little was done to decorate the area, leaving it barren and dim as Zeref continued on. He didn’t mind the darkness, however. As he passed by a single torch shedding light on a small area of the ship, he continued counting his breaths to keep himself calmed. Meditating would be better, however, he did not have the luxury of time at the moment. The longer he lingered, the more likely it was for him to be discovered.

Coming across a diverge in the halls, Zeref saw the option to go left, right, or straight. Closing his eyes, he did his best to reach out with his senses for the source of magic within. One place seemed to hum with power, though it was not the natural power he associated with a wizard. In fact, the power almost reminded him of Fairy Heart, albeit a much weaker form. The sensation made his expression darken, the edges of his lips turning downwards as his eyelids clenched slightly over his eyes. Taking another breath, Zeref tried again, searching for another source of magic instead. Precht had been busy, but that did not mean he was not here.

This time, he had far more success. Taking a turn towards the left, Zeref followed the new source of magic energy he sensed. While it was in the opposite direction as the strange spell he felt, he knew that this one would lead him to his former student. 

The halls continued to be sparsely lit, with a few torches hung at random points on the walls. Zeref continued walking, seeing the entire hall fall into darkness before the hint of a light would flicker again as he approached the next torch. The floors creaked slightly under his weight, showing him that this ship was in need of maintenance of some form. Glancing down, he saw that the actual source had been from a loose floorboard, but he continued on without pausing for long.

The hall curved to the left after a few moments of walking. Moving quicker, Zeref continued taking deep breaths to keep himself calm for this meeting. He felt like it was working, keeping him tranquil and prepared for whatever was about to come. Even if Precht did keep something hidden from him, Zeref needed to avoid overreacting. So many times today, he had been on the verge of gaining total control of his curse. He was determined to not make this yet another chance, because if he didn’t avoid control, he would kill Precht no matter what he said. 

The thought made him smile, seeing the irony of what he was avoiding. For so long, he had fought for that control. Zeref had avoided thinking of people as friends, slowly receding behind a wall of viewing them as pawns or allies, nothing more. Their lives were useless tools to be thrown away if he desired, but that now came with a cost. His guilt over every death lessened each time he killed, and at this rate, he would be an unfeeling monster yet again. Zeref needed to value life still, if he wanted to succeed at avoiding the use of his curse during this attack.

At the end of this hall was a door, which Zeref pushed open. On the other side was a small room, with a few tables scattered along the walls to Zeref’s left and rid sides. On top of them were various papers and knickknacks, though Zeref didn’t focus on identifying exactly what they were. The main floor was clear and led to a much larger desk on the wall opposite of him. Behind that desk was a large-backed chair, with an elderly man seated within. 

With a familiar black eye-patch over his right eye and a dark cape draped over his shoulders, Zeref recognized him almost immediately. Perhaps he had aged, with white hair now instead of blond and wrinkles on his skin, but the stern expression remained. He no longer hid his expression behind a turtle-necked shirt, but he did frown as he noticed Zeref within. He rose to his feet, gasping after he recognized the man before him.

“You…you’re here. We’ve finally found you again, and now…I have all the keys, I can finally awaken your true strength…” 

Narrowing his gaze, Zeref let his arms rest calmly by his sides, resisting the urge to clench his hands into fists. “All of those sacrifices…what purpose did they serve?” Precht seemed to blink, frowning slightly. “My power…it never slept to begin with. This key you’ve searched for, this power you seek, it was never yours to gain, Precht.”

Chuckling, Precht shook his head. “Perhaps you think so, but I know that we are finally nearing our perfect world. You know better than anyone else…this world is corrupted, and the only truth that exists is that the strong survive. We, those with magic, are the strongest in existence. It is our duty to advance humanity and eliminate those that will cause us harm in the future.”

Taking a deep breath, Zeref closed his eyes for a moment. Reigning in his anger was proving to be a challenge, though if he was patient, he would manage. “Eliminate those that cause harm…what harm have humans ever given you? Unlike me, you are not rejected by this world. You did not have to go down this dark path, nor did you have to leave Fairy Tail. From what I heard, you just left one day, without a single word to any member of the guild.”

“Not all that different from you, if I recall.” There was a smirk on his face at that comment. Zeref’s eyes flashed, his mouth twitching and tightening as he took a step forward.

“Mavis was dead! It was my hand that ended her life, I had every reason to leave that place.” Precht flinched slightly at Zeref’s words, before glancing away.

With a sigh, the other wizard closed his eyes. “I know…I was the one that tried to save her. Months of research wasted…all trying to determine just what had happened to her. Imagine my surprise when I determined that she was trapped by the same magic she possessed…the dark magic the two of you shared. There was no saving her in this world, not with our knowledge of magic. I needed to know what you knew…to be capable of learning the truth about the One Magic. I searched so much…learned so much…and I’ve come to realize that the darkness is the closest approximation to such a power.”

Slowly, Zeref unclenched his hands. He hadn’t even noticed the alteration to them during his outburst, but now, he felt the sensation of the muscles relaxing in his fingers. “Such a power is futile to attempt to obtain. History has shown many seeking out the One Magic, yet none have ever succeeded. People begin wars…others die…all pointless sacrifices chasing after the rumor of a nonexistent force in this world.” Tilting his head back, Zeref stared at the banisters lining the ceiling. Much like the rest of this place, it seemed to be made of wood. “Speaking of Mavis, however…there is something I’ve been meaning to ask you about. Was there anything…unusual about her, after I left?”

Laughing, Precht threw his head back and gave Zeref a wide grin. “Unusual? Ha! Like you didn’t already know. The girl was both alive and dead at the same time, and I did everything in my power to keep her last breaths preserved. Lumen Histoire was my greatest creation…never again have I been able to replicate its strength. So, don’t ask me about unusual, because if anything, you’re the oddest person around.” 

Turning hie head back towards Precht, Zeref scowled. “That is not what I meant. I have reason to believe…that Mavis was pregnant when she entered that state.” This made Precht freeze, his eyes wide as he stared at Zeref.

“How…how did you know of that?” 

Taking another step closer to Precht’s desk, Zeref narrowed his eyes. “So, it was true. Believe it or not, this is not the only world in existence, Precht. Other realms exist…places where we have lived entirely different lives and experienced entirely different things. In one such world…I encountered a man who claimed to be my son. Their name, however…it was one I knew from our world.”

“No…that can’t be! I took him away, I abandoned him to the streets. A child…a child born from magic like that was destined to be a monster. With your power and Mavis’ combined…there was no telling what future he would have. The only option was to end him before disaster could strike…” Precht glanced away, pulling his helmet off and placing it on the desk. “I couldn’t do it, though. Such innocence…such features…he was just like Mavis, and I couldn’t bring myself to harm him. For a brief time, I attempted to raise him…until I realized the child had magic. With the potential danger he posed, and my inability to harm the child…there was only one option for me. That was why I left him, and let fate decide if he lived or died.”

This time, Zeref neared the desk and placed his hands on the surface. Leaning forward, he gazed directly into Precht’s eyes, watching the other man lean back uncomfortably. “You are telling me that you abandoned my son, the only child I will ever be capable of having with how this world rejects me?” There was a tension in his shoulders as Zeref began counting his breaths again. He was losing control, his rage swirling within him and making him want to slam Precht into the wall. He wanted to completely destroy this man, but he couldn’t. His hands shook on the table, tightly clenched into fists as he felt the anger course through his body. 

Precht nodded, his eyes wide as he stumbled a step backward. “I…yes…but you said you knew him! Your son lives…so you don’t have any reason to be angry with me.” 

He was pitiful, trying to save his own life. Zeref wished he could kill this man where he stood, but all he could do was clench his teeth together and glare harshly at him. “Consider yourself lucky, Precht. I am practicing my restraint today, and Mavis lives on, so for that, I shall spare you.” The man looked startled, his legs giving out as he collapsed on the ground by the far wall. “However…should you even consider coming for my power again…should you threaten my family, I will bypass any agreements I have made. Your life will be forfeit, and I will annihilate every last member of this pitiful place you now call a guild. Gather your friends and get out of my sight. I have no power for you, Precht, and this world you seek to create is nothing more than a twisted fantasy that will only bring about chaos and suffering.”

With that, Zeref rose to stand straight, turning around. His white cape seemed to spin with him, flying out for a moment before falling back to rest against his shoulders. Moving swiftly, Zeref exited the room before teleporting back down into the streets of Oshibana. As he did so, Zeref took a deep breath and dragged a hand through his hair. It was all true, yet he never even realized it. The man he had trained to become an unfeeling general of war was his son. Falling to his knees, Zeref felt tears stream down his cheeks, wishing he could go back and change it all. August deserved a loving father, but all Zeref had ever been able to give him were the authoritative commands of a harsh dictator.


	90. Fight or Flight

A train rolled into town, just as the airship began to fly away. Zeref watched as Grimoire Heart left Oshibana, though he felt oddly empty and drained inside. He couldn’t help seeing flashes of his past with August at moments. Every word the child had said to him, any comment, Zeref found himself analyzing it more than he should. The boy had claimed to be looking for some kind of answer…but Zeref didn’t know what question he was looking into. The entire time, August had dutifully followed Zeref’s lead. There had been no one more loyal than that child, and as a result, Zeref trusted August more than the others within the Spriggan Twelve.

Zeref didn’t know how long he had been in the street. At some point, he had abandoned standing in preference of lying down. Magical vehicles wouldn’t be traveling anywhere this late at night, and travelers were scarce. A few gave him an odd look on their way home, but no one commented about the strange man lying down in the center of the streets of Oshibana, with his arm covering his forehead and pressing his bangs down onto his face. He didn’t want to watch anyone right now. In fact, he didn’t even want to do anything. He just felt…dead. 

Normally, he would have smiled slightly at the irony of this thoughts. This time, it made his frown deepen. He remembered the day August first came to him. He remembered training the child. Zeref had formed him into the man he is today, yet it was not the future he would have wanted for his child. His orders had not been given with kindness in mind. August had lived a harsh life, and now, his future held the chance for sorrow if war came to the Alvarez Empire.

The distant rumbling of the train quieted down as it arrived in the station. People began getting off, though it took some time for them to get to the area where Zeref rested. Moving with the crowd, a few of Fairy Tail’s wizards came to join Zeref in the streets. Natsu, Jellal, Erza, and Mavis all arrived, with Lahar following quickly behind. Amidst the passengers from the train, however, even more came. People were returning from their research missions, though Zeref didn’t quite know who some of them were. Two children, about Wendy’s age, joined the group. A bit older was a man with long black hair, mildly familiar to Zeref. 

The memory of being captured by the magic council finally allowed him to place one of the strangers at least. Gajeel, the iron dragon slayer, had arrived with Levy. The other two were still mysteries, standing by Wendy and Romeo, with Macao and Wakaba following after them. It seemed like most of the groups had split up in some form, though he really didn’t care too much about their research anymore.

“Master, are you alright?” Erza knelt down next to him, frowning at his state.

Nodding mutely, Zeref continued resting peacefully on the ground. He didn’t want to interrupt with pointless words, not when they would not improve anything. He still didn’t even know how to inform Mavis of any of this. She had so much to adjust to already, this just might be too much for her to handle. “What the hell did that bastard do to ya? I’ll beat him up if that’s what it takes to make you feel better.” Natsu’s voice came next, a low growl that sounded only mildly annoyed compared to how Zeref had felt on the airship with Precht.

“He answered my question.” It was a calm response, considering how depressed Zeref seemed.

“So, what does this guy have to do with that airship we were following?” One of the strange boys was asking a question, the one with blond hair.

Wendy bit her lip, playing with the edges of her dress. “I…I don’t know…I just got here and saw everyone gathering around him. I don’t even know where that ship went…” Her gaze seemed to search the sky for a moment.

“Grimoire Heart left, if that is who you are searching for.” Jellal answered her question calmly.

Blinking, the solid script wizard turned towards him. “Wait, Grimoire Heart? That’s one of the dark guilds from the Baram Alliance!”

“Calm down, shrimp. If they come back, I’ll teach them a lesson for messing with the strongest wizard around, got it?” Gajeel grinned confidently, but at that moment, three more individuals joined them.

“Filthy insect is more like it.” Mard Geer sneered, shoving him aside as the demons joined their master. “If you’d like, Lord Zeref, I can finish our original goal at this point. Your job is complete, and this town is safe from danger.”

Shaking his head, Zeref sighed. Behind the members of Tartaros, Gajeel seemed to step forward in anger. “Oi, who the hell do you bastards think you are?”

Smiling back at him, Kyoka laughed slightly. “We’re demons, darling. Zeref’s demons, to be specific.”

That shut the dragon slayer right up, making him swallow sharply and glance at the man lying on the ground. “Zeref…so, that’s the legendary black wizard. The guy seems a bit younger than I imagined…” Apparently, the iron dragon slayer had not seen much of Zeref during his capture in Oshibana. Despite battling with the man, the dragon slayer had been far more focused on Natsu, now that he thought back to the event. Gajeel shrugged, stepping closer and crouching down next to him. Zeref felt the man poke his arm, making him scowl and lift his arm slightly to gaze at the wizard. “Oi, you looking for new members? I’ve got a problem with Phantom Lord, and I’m looking for a new guild to show them just what kind of power they missed out on by kicking me out.”

Trying to pull him back, Levy wrapped her arms around the man’s neck. Gajeel didn’t budge, only glancing over his shoulder as the girl strained against his muscular weight. “Stop it! Can’t you see that now isn’t a good time, Gajeel?” 

“Exactly. We’ve just been attacked by a dark guild…none of us even know what they were looking for, either.” Jellal studied Zeref closely with a frown.

“My power. They wished to destroy the world, so they needed someone with the power to—“ Zeref broke off, frowning as a massive magical energy came into his senses. Rarely did power interrupt his thoughts. Fairy Heart could do so, but he had grown used to its presence. This was different, the magical energy of a single person. There was only one reason for him to be here, too, and only one person to blame. Sitting up, Zeref gazed up at the sky. “He’s here. It seems as if all of this was for nothing…an era is about to come to an end.”

Crossing her arms over her chest, Erza frowned. “I seem to have missed something. We’ve successfully fought off Grimoire Heart, I do not see an issue with our success.”

“Erza is right…I wasn’t here, but I can already see that things have calmed down already.” Wendy gazed calmly over at Zeref as she spoke. “Besides, we’ve got even more people here now. I’m sure that we can handle any threat you think is on the way.”

Opening his senses, Zeref tried to estimate about how long they had. The massive energy source was always difficult to locate for some odd reason. Despite its strength, the energy seemed to encompass a large area every time it neared him, masking the actual location of Acnologia. “No, not this threat. There is only one thing that could potentially stop him, and we are far from prepared for that plan to be put into action.” 

Gazing out amongst the people he did have on his side, Zeref questioned just what could even delay this attack. Dragons were known for being resistant to magic, but he had yet to see how they reacted to curse power. His demons may be effective, but at the same time, that plan could backfire. There were also dragon slayers present, but even they were not trained enough to battle Acnologia. Gajeel was an unknown to Zeref, and Wendy could hardly do more than heal the last time he saw her. Natsu had potential to fight, but once again, he had not trained to the point of being capable of taking on the most powerful dragon slayer that ever existed.

“Who said anything about a plan? With my white dragon slayer magic, I can take on anything.” Sting smirked confidently at Zeref, walking forward. “Just have some faith in us. We might be young, but Rogue and I are the only dragon slayers alive that have actually managed to kill real dragons.”

That gave Zeref pause, making him look towards the two young boys he had not met yet. Seeing his gaze, Macao grinned. “That’s right. We’ve got two more dragon slayers. These two kids were hanging out around our old guild hall. Seems like a new guild took our place over in Magnolia, and these two claim that they will get us the books we need to research that stuff you wanted us to look into.”

Watching them, Zeref finally sat up, rising to stare at the children. “I see…two more dragon slayers…with them, that makes five. It is complete…though the timing is off. A few more years would have been ideal…” Zeref murmured to himself, questioning just what to do. As the blob of energy came closer, however, he realized he didn’t have time to think much about this plan.

Watching him, Natsu blinked with wide eyes. “Five? Wait…then that means…Acnologia?” Zeref had not expected his brother to piece together the clues, but he had given the fire dragon slayer far more hints than any of the others around him.

Nodding grimly, Zeref let his gaze lift to the sky again. “Correct. Oshibana will be destroyed, that much I am certain of. Even if we find a way to push Acnologia back, the sheer power unleashed here today will devastate this place.”

“I could contact the Council…if danger is imminent, they will send rune knights to deal with it.” Lahar suggested.

Nodding in agreement, Jellal frowned. “If they are coming here, I would likely have to leave. However, I could contact local guilds and ask for aid.”

“Nah, don’t bother.” Smirking, Gajeel leaned over on Levy, making the girl scowl as his elbow rested on her head. “We’ve got more than enough strength with just us. Those other wizards would just hold us back, if you ask me. Besides, your guild is known for doing reckless things, so why not start here? Fighting an unstoppable enemy…sounds like fun, gihi!”

“Well, you guys can have fun with that.” Wakaba scowled, pulling his pipe out from his mouth. “I’d much rather survive, if you ask for my opinion. If you need me, I’ll be back at the guild, hoping we manage to survive this by some miracle.”

As Wakaba turned to leave, he ran into Mavis who stood behind them all. She was glaring at him, with her hands clenched into fists by her sides. “You don’t even know what we are facing, yet you are giving up?” Her gaze flickered around the group, walking forward to stand in the center of them all. “That is not the Fairy Tail way…the way of the guild I founded. We fight for our friends, even against unmeasurable odds, and we always find a way to succeed. I will lead you through this battle, and we will plan out a path for success.”

Eyeing her, Zeref sighed and shook his head. Gently, he placed a hand on her shoulder for a brief moment. He wished he could do more, but he knew the limits of his curse. When she turned towards him, her green eyes were wide, Zeref gave her a slight smile and pulled his hand away. “Even a mind as brilliant as yours could not strategize a method for this battle. Tell me, Mavis, have you ever once fought against a dragon?”

That made her freeze, along with the other wizards watching him. “Did he just say dragon?” Rogue asked, speaking up for the first time since they gathered.

Looking grim, Natsu nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. “Hell yeah, he did. This guy’s bad news, trust me. We’re in for a rough battle, but I still think we’ll manage to win. After all, we’ve got Zeref on our side, plus some of those weird demons he’s made. From what I’ve seen, those demons are pretty strong, too.”

Rolling her eyes, Kyoka snorted. “Of course we are. After all, we were designed to kill Lord Zeref in the first place. We had to be strong to accomplish such a feat.”

Recovering, Mavis slowly began to shake her head. It was only her response that he cared for, anyway, at the moment. “I have not fought a dragon…however, there is nothing saying I cannot try. You of all people should understand, when faced with impossible odds, there is always something that can be done.” Zeref flinched slightly at the knowing look in her gaze. 

Closing his eyes, Zeref frowned and shook his head. “There are some things that are more important than victory today, Mavis. I…I could help us flee. With my magic, I could likely teleport the entire guild away from this place, to one of safety instead.”

This time, it was Mavis who reached out and gently rubbed his shoulder. “I know. And I also know that you can’t even say why that is what you want to do…just like I can’t really focus on my reasons for wanting to fight.” Opening his eyes, Zeref stared at the ground by his legs. He may have sat up, but he had yet to get the will to stand. “If we run away, we’ll be abandoning this entire town. I know you don’t like pointless death…just like I don’t want to have to suffer from witnessing it anymore either. So, can you at least try to fight with me, Zeref? We can protect this town, in the same way we plan on facing our curse. We will do it side by side—“

Jerking away from her, Zeref finally rose to his feet and spun around. She broke off in surprise at his sudden motion, seeing the harshness in his gaze. “No. You will leave…if you insist on fighting, I will do it alone…” Trailing off, Zeref gazed at who was here. “No, perhaps not alone. Mard Geer, I want you and the other demons to remain, along with every dragon slayer present. Everyone else…leave this place and find safety.” Mavis only stared at him in confusion, before Zeref gave her a dark smile, tilting his head slightly. “After all, I will not allow August to lose both of his parents in the same battle. Should my curse prove incapable of keeping me alive when facing Acnologia…go to the Alvarez Empire and find August….August Dragneel, the man who I’ve just learned is our son.”

Stumbling back, Mavis’s jaw dropped and stared at him. Her hand pressed to her stomach for a moment, before she started shaking her head. “No…I can’t be…it’s impossible, the curse would have…”

“Neither of us knew.” Zeref’s calm response was given as he turned away from her. “Precht…Precht knew the truth. He abandoned our child, and having been told of his parentage, the child came seeking me out. I never once learned of the truth of his past…until today. Perhaps I am a villain, and perhaps I am rejected by this world…but nothing will push me to the point of rejecting my own family, regardless of how much I grow to despise the world I live in.” 

“Is this guy always this creepy?” Sting leaned towards Wendy, whispering in her ear. Rogue only nodded in silent agreement, while Wendy gave a nervous laugh and glanced away.

Looking distracted, Mavis turned towards the edge of the street. “The more one loves life, the more one takes life away….” Tears seemed to glimmer in her eyes, falling down her cheeks. “Neither of us loved him…we didn’t know of our child, and he grew up…” She couldn’t even finish, choking off as her shoulders shook. 

Unable to meet her gaze, Zeref nodded mutely. “He is a general in my army…he’s strong, but he needs his parents. Someone needs to tell him the truth…that we were just as lost as he was, and that we would have destroyed him had we known. That is my motivation…the reason I wish to keep living on. I will bring an end to our shared curse, so I can tell my son…I’m sorry.” 

Nodding, Mavis slowly began to back away. “And I will be there to do the same, to tell him…that we both love him, no matter what. You can’t die, Zeref, because I don’t want to…I don’t want to have to tell him you’re gone! Promise me…that you’ll come back. Promise me you’ll stay by my side…that you won’t leave me…” She began shaking again, tears in her eyes as she pleaded with him.

Turning back towards her, Zeref gave her a self-hating smile. The one fact he hated more than any about himself seemed to be the one Mavis needed to believe in the most. “Of course. I am immortal, Mavis. No matter how much I may suffer, no matter how much I am injured, I will always return. Then, we will finish what we started a hundred years ago…we will be freed from this life of contradictions, and enjoy what time we have left with our son.”


	91. Awakening

With that, Mavis and the others quickly moved to begin evacuating Oshibana. Zeref stood and waited, watching as people began rushing through the streets towards the border of town. When everything began to clear away, he stared up at the sky with a frown. The approaching danger was getting closer, and he had little time to work towards stopping disaster once again.

Part of him wondered if his test was still continuing on. Acnologia was a far different foe than Grimoire Heart had been, and Zeref was uncertain of what magic would actually manage to harm the beast. Last he heard, Acnologia had surpassed the ability to absorb only a single element, though Zeref didn’t know how many he could consume at this point. Add in the fact that the beast was trapped in dragon form and it made their task nearly impossible, if it weren’t for the plan he had in mind.

Turning towards the remaining dragon slayers, Zeref took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them once more, his gaze focused on the new dragon slayers he had yet to meet. “The two of you claimed to have slain dragons in the past. Tell me, who are you, and just how did you accomplish such a task?”

Grinning, the blond one stepped forward. “Simple, we used our dragon slaying magic. My name’s Sting, and this is my partner, Rogue. Together, we’re the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth. Who cares if a dragon is coming to town? With us on your side, you don’t even need these other lame first generation slayers to stop him.”

Raising an eyebrow at them, Zeref stepped forward and folded his hands behind his back. “Is that so? I’ve seen dragons in action….witnessed battles between the ancient dragon slayers and dragons in war…yet, this is the first time I’ve heard a single wizard claim that it was an easy task. Dragon scales are known to have magical resistance within them. Not only that, but they serve as a nearly impenetrable armor from physical attacks. Only dragon slaying magic can harm them, but even with that, it requires far more power than a single dragon slayer possesses to overcome these differences.” Eyeing the boys carefully, he noted the way Sting seemed to scowl with irritation, his arms crossing over his chest as he rolled his eyes. “Now, let’s take this all a step further. Imagine an enemy with all of these defenses…and also the abilities of every single one of you combined.”

Blinking, Wendy’s brown eyes went wide. “Wait…are you saying that a dragon…learned dragon slaying magic? That just doesn’t…I mean, dragons don’t need that kind of power, do they?”

“Correct. Acnologia is not a dragon, despite his appearance.” Giving them all a smile, Zeref eyed the group carefully as his demons stood behind him, awaiting further orders. “You see, there is only one way for a dragon slayer to individually surpass a dragon in strength. Regardless of whatever you believe to have occurred in the past, I am not convinced that a single one of you killed a dragon, especially not alone.” His gaze lingered on Sting and Rogue with that, before continuing on. “In order to match the strength of a dragon…one needs to possess the strength of such a beast. This is the final stage of dragon slaying magic…and you are about to face an individual who has reached this point with their power.”

With narrowed eyes, Natsu frowned. “I don’t get it. Why are you so worried? I mean, we’re all here, so let’s just go through with that plan of yours.” The others stared at him in confusion, while Zeref glanced away.

“To put it simply, I need more time. Weakening such a powerful spell…I anticipated it to be weaker when Acnologia finally attacked, weak enough for…others to break it. Breaking it myself…it will take some time, as well as all of my focus to accomplish in a timely manner.” His gaze locked with Natsu’s. “It will be up to all of you to delay Acnologia until that time arrives. I cannot be there to assist you…and any other allies I could call upon would not arrive in time to provide any aid.”

Snorting, Gajeel rolled his eyes. “Yeah, like we’ve got anything to worry about. It’s one dragon slayer against five, there’s no way we’re going down.” Grinning, he crossed his arms over his chest. “After all, if we manage to get through this, you’ll have to admit I’m strong enough to be a part of your little guild here. Phantom Lord will never look down on me again, gihi!”

“Mard Geer, Kyoka, and Seilah, you will assist them in whatever means necessary. Be prepared, even I cannot predict how your curse power will affect Acnologia.” Glancing towards them, Zeref ran a hand through his hair. “To put this in perspective, even my magic cannot affect him. The last time we battled…no one survived to tell the tale, and to this day, our former battlefield remains a desolate wasteland where no life seems to be capable of existing. Last I heard, it had been labeled as the Forbidden Wastelands, though the name is constantly shifting as are the tales about that place.”

That had been a time Zeref would prefer to forget. Any encounter with Acnologia was tense at best, and deadly at worst. Discussion hadn’t managed to get through to the dragon slayer that day. Acnologia declared that he wanted to get stronger, and that he could only do so by facing powerful opponents. After witnessing Zeref’s magic in person, the dragon slayer challenged him to fight. Trying to talk Acnologia out of the battle had been pointless, and even though he had not fought back at first, many lives were lost before he even considered using magic against the dragon. By the time Zeref began fighting in earnest, the former farmlands had been decimated by Acnologia’s repeated breath attacks. Any remaining plants were dealt with by Zeref’s rage, and an outburst of black magic.

Both of them lost track of time during their battle. Based on the change in weather from the start to the end, Zeref actually believed it had gone on for at least a month, if not longer. Pain became his existence, and he became numb to the feeling of the dragon’s attacks. At the same time, Acnologia seemed to grow weaker to Zeref’s magic with each blow dealt to the beast. Dragon scales were strong, but they were not impervious to everything. Seeing the battle as never-ending, Acnologia eventually stopped and began laughing in amusement towards Zeref. Both of them stood and observed the other, while Acnologia made his declaration. “You are strong, Black Wizard, a fearsome opponent indeed. However, one day, my reign will come, and I will destroy you along with the rest of the world. Everyone will know of my power and you,” Another chuckle came from him. “You will be but a distant memory in the minds of mankind, a mere insect when compared to my name.”

Even then, Zeref had disliked Acnologia’s overconfidence. It made him feel a bit more calmed by the fact that a day would come when his own power defeated Acnologia. Their battle never resumed once since that day, but it seemed like now was changing all of that. The wind seemed to pick up around them in the darkened street, pushing few strands of his hair around as he gazed upward. Moving back slightly, Zeref ensured that he stood behind the line of dragon slayers waiting for battle. “Prepare yourselves. It will not be long before he arrives. I must get to work now, to spare as many of your lives as possible.” 

With that, Zeref began sensing outward towards the magic within all of them. At first, he sensed the normal aura around all wizards. It was a restless energy, with a similar feel to all of them. While there were mild differences, overall, Zeref could get the idea that their power was similar in nature. However, that aura was not what he wanted. Zeref needed to find the enchantment hidden in each of their bodies, the one that needed to become weaker and allow the dragons to escape into the real world for one last battle.

His eyes drifted shut and Zeref slowly sat on the street. His legs folded and he began to meditate, calming his mind even further. The restlessness within him was not helping, but determination had pushed back the majority of the instability that had been growing within him. While it wasn’t gone for long, he could keep it at bay long enough for this single task. There wasn’t another option, not with Acnologia so close. 

At the very edges of his senses, Zeref felt something light emanating from Sting first. A sensation almost like a cage seemed to form in his mind, the lines of magic forming steel bars before his closed eyelids. Cracks had appeared in spots, but overall, the spell was strong. In places, the bars crossed over each other, reinforcing the structure. Unlike other enchantments, this one did not rely on complex interwoven webs of energy to stay in place. Instead, it reinforced all areas of the spell, keeping it strong through force alone and making it easier to break when the time made it necessary. However, time had not weakened these bars enough. It would take far more energy than Zeref first anticipated, especially when he had to break five of these spells at once.

Inhaling slowly, Zeref searched for the other enchantments nearby. However, at that moment, his concentration was shattered. A roar echoed throughout the air, loud and shaking his body with the deep reverberations in the tone. His eyes flashed open, scanning the skyline. A cloud drifted away, revealing the white underbelly of the beast they were preparing to battle. “Alright, looks like that bastard is here. I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time…I’m getting fired up.” Natsu seemed to smirk as flames danced around him, waiting for battle.

Rogue vanished from sight, immediately awaiting in the shadows for his attack. Standing confidently, Sting prepared to attack alone and take the first strike as Acnologia began to dive down. “Finally, I’ve found you once and for all, Black Wizard! We will settle this tonight, and I shall revel in the chaos of the world.”

Grimacing, Zeref ignored the look Sting shot him at those words. “Black wizard? Who is he talking about?”

Touching his arm, Wendy shook her head. “There is no time. You said you wanted to fight with me…so let’s do this together. We have to hold him off, until Zeref is ready to join us.” Nodding, Sting clenched his hands into fists by his side and crouched down, readying himself for an attack. 

Grinning, Sting clasped his hands together at first. White light began to form in his hands, slowly growing into a sphere as his palms spread apart. “Holy Ray!” The sphere shattered, the beams shooting into the air towards the dragon. Growling in anger, the beast opened his mouth and did exactly what Zeref feared. The light vanished down the dragon’s throat, leaving Sting staring at it with wide eyes. “Wait…he’s a white dragon slayer? Damn it, you could have told me that first, idiot!” This was directed towards Zeref, who ignored it and got back to work on their enchantments. 

With a time pressure now on his shoulders, he managed to finally locate all of the enchantments. It took true motivation to get his magic to work sometimes, and at the moment, he had more motivation than he had in a long time. Zeref had promised to return to Mavis, and he now had someone who just might be capable of ending his curse. While a part of him still didn’t believe Jackson, it was the first time anyone even attempted to make such a claim in his life. He wasn’t going to give up on it so quickly, not when he was coming so close to losing everything to the restless power consuming his body and mind.

As he worked away at the enchantments, Gajeel stepped in with a grin. “Yeah, don’t worry about this freak. I’ve got it covered.” With a smirk, He inhaled sharply and prepared a breath attack against Acnologia. “Iron Dragon’s Roar!” 

Metal seemed to shoot out into the air, rushing wildly towards Acnologia. “I’m not letting you have all the fun. Let me give you a hand. Fire Dragon’s Roar!” Flames mixed in with the steel, shooting through the air towards the black dragon that now landed. His claws crushed nearby buildings on the street, while his tail whipped around and tore apart the street itself. Cracks formed in the cement, and rubble began falling towards the ground. However, the dragon slayers were all far enough away to avoid damage from the destruction that had already begun.

A few stragglers were awoken, and began screaming and running away in terror. Those in battle ignored the people, focused on the enemy before them. Acnologia began to swallow the magic once more, stunning the dragon slayers present. “Wait…but I thought he just ate Sting’s magic…” Wendy took a step back, nervously holding her hands close to her chest. “Is he…just how many elements can he use?”

Smiling, Seilah moved forward and pushed her aside. “In times like these, demons come out to play. Humans couldn’t possible understand the power necessary to write a tale of dragons…” With a smirk, she began to focus her power on Acnologia. However, her brows slowly began to draw together, sweat forming on her face. Her hands remained raised, though her smile faded away. 

“Seilah, have you truly gone this soft?” Mard Geer scowled at the woman. “You are just as useless as these pathetic humans. Kyoka, you take charge and deal with this mess for her.”

“Of course, Mard Geer.” Kyoka moved forward, preparing an attack of her own as Seilah stared down at her hands with wide eyes. 

“I…I don’t understand. My curse power, it cannot reach this beast.” Her gaze flickered over to Kyoka, who smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Rest, you must be tired after all your work with those wizards earlier. I can handle this beast alone, for Lord Zeref’s sake.” With that, Kyoka’s power turned on Acnologia. Her hand raised, green light flashing around the dragon for a moment before she charged forward. The demon slashed out at him with clawed hands, dragging them across his scales. However, they proved to be just as powerful as Zeref predicted. Even her weapons did nothing more than scratch his armor, though the dragon growled in anger towards Kyoka. Acnologa slashed out against her with his claw, sending the demon flying back into the buildings across the street. The wall of one of the shops crumbled beneath her weight, though the demon got up quickly with a glare. 

Smiling, Mard Geer approached Acnologia instead. “Perhaps you are worth my time after all. Let’s see you stand up against me and win, shall we?” With that, vines began to dance along the air, spiraling around and launching towards Acnologia. The dragon slashed through many of them with his claws, but they continued growing even after being cut. The vines seemed endless, and slowly, they began to wrap around the beast’s legs, restraining him for the time being.

Rising, Natsu rushed forward seeing an opening. “Fire Dragon’s Iron Fist!” He launched his attack at Acnologia’s back, jumping into the air and pounding his fist into the base of the dragon’s neck. However, Acnologia turned around and snapped with his jaw towards Natsu. Seeing the attack, Natsu tried to roll away, but he wasn’t fast enough. Teeth clenched down onto his arm, leaving him groaning and letting out a sharp yell of pain. Blood began to spill down his arm, and he found himself sliding off of Acnologia’s back.

He staggered slightly, rejoining the others. Watching him, Wendy frowned and seemed to grow more determined. “It’s time for me to help. Let me show you just what my magic is supposed to do. Arms, Armor, Vernier!” Light seemed to surround all of her companions, all of them blinking in surprise at their newfound strength. Wendy inhaled sharply, sweat beading on her brow as she stood ready to attack herself. Rushing forward, Wendy came towards Acnologia’s tail, seeing it as the safest spot to attack. “Sky Dragon’s Wing Attack!” Twin blades of wind slashed down, though the wind seemed to do little other than bounce of of Acnologia’s scales.

Appearing from almost no where, an attack came from underneath Acnologia. “Shadow Dragon’s Slash!” Shadows lashed out against the beast’s underbelly, though even at the dragon’s weakest point, they proved ineffective. Now appearing back by the sides of the others, Rogue frowned and observed Acnologia for the time being. Zeref was still focused on trying to break the enchantments, but he had only just managed to weaken them. This battle was not looking good, not with the difference in power between both sides. It was clear who the victor would be if this continued on as it stood right now. 

“This isn’t working. I do not think any of us are capable of truly stopping this monster…I now see why that man tried to warn us sooner.” Rogue glanced towards the others for ideas.

Nodding, Sting grimaced. “Yeah, this thing’s unstoppable. How the hell are we supposed to beat something if we can’t even hurt it?”

Smiling, Mard Geer seemed to step forward. “Allow me to demonstrate the true differences in our power, insects. You may be incapable of stopping this beast…but I can. This method was meant to be saved for Zeref…but upon further consideration, a test run just may be in order for the moment.” With that, the man grinned and seemed to begin unleashing an even greater power than before.

Black mist began to form around Acnologia, leaving the dragon watching with narrowed eyes. “You see, when this spell finally hits you, you will not die. No, it is far worse than that. Once it is activated, you will be erased, banished to be nothing for all of eternity.” Acnologia began moving then, his wings fanning out to try and give him more momentum to rush towards Mard Geer. “I call it…Momento Mori.” With that, a massive beam of dark light filled the air, surrounding the dragon in an instant and banishing him from all of their sights. Even Zeref was impressed. He did not recall giving any of his demons a power of this nature, which meant that Mard Geer had discovered it on his own.

“Alright! Nice work, demon. Looks like we don’t have to worry about—“ Natsu began to cheer, but he cut himself off and began to sniff the air. “Wait a second…I still smell him. If he’s gone, why do I still smell him?”

“Because you cannot truly sense such things. I assure you, my curse power is absolute. Acnologia has been erased from all of existence.” Mard Geer’s confidence was likely going to be his undoing.

As the black shadows faded away, Zeref watched as the sight of the edge of a wing first became visible. Then, more of the dragon’s body seemed to form in his line of sight. He could hear a faint sucking noise, one that was likely more audible to the dragon slayers around him. Before them all, Acnologia was eating the very curse designed to end his own existence. The dragon had managed to overcome the boundaries of magic and consume a curse as well, leaving Mard Geer staring at him in shock.

“Impossible…how could he have stopped it, my ultimate curse?”

Turning towards Zeref, Natsu grimaced and shouted out. “Damn it, we don’t have enough time! Zeref, isn’t there anything else we can do against him?”

“No…that was my strongest attack.” Mard Geer answered before Zeref could say a thing. “The only demon more powerful than myself would be END…and even we have yet to determine how to awaken that demon from his slumber.”

Blinking, Natsu touched a hand to his chest and glanced away. “END, huh?” Taking a deep breath, Natsu stepped forward and glanced towards Zeref. “Well, if you’ve got a way to awaken that power, I don’t think we’ve got another choice right now. You’ve got the book you mentioned before…and you said you could prove I was your brother by awakening that power, so I know you can do it.” With that, he seemed to wait for Zeref’s response.

Taking a break from working on the seals, Zeref glanced up towards Natsu with wide eyes. “You…you do not even know what you are asking for. I may not be able to seal that power away again, Natsu.”

Smirking, Natsu crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. “Yeah right. You know more about magic than anyone else I’ve ever met, Zeref. You’ve got that fancy book of yours, and I trust you completely. You’ll figure out a way to get me back to normal…and until then, you’ll keep me under control. Prove to me that you’re the brother I think you are, Zeref. Give me the strength I need to protect my friends…and then do whatever it takes to make me me again.”

Those words brought back memories of his childhood, of old desires he thought he had left behind. Glancing towards Acnologia, Zeref saw the dragon inhaling, preparing for a breath attack of his own. With no more time to waste, Zeref got to work on breaking a far easier seal to get past. A tear slid down his cheek as he gave Natsu a single nod, smiling at his brouther. “Natsu…thank you. I may be breaking my promise to Jackson, but there is one thing that I almost forgot I still valued…one life that I will never let go of.” 

Rising to his feet, Zeref stepped forward and stood before Acnologia as the blast was nearing its completion. At the same time, heat began burning away at Zeref’s back, the sensation of flames licking away at his body. “Acnologia, the Black Dragon of the Apocalypse, it is time for our battle to come to an end. You’ve threatened my life, and you’ve threatened the lives of my demons…these are all unimportant facts, things I care little about. However…you’ve now harmed the one person I vowed to always protect, and threatened to steal his life away.” 

His gaze turned harsh, his eyes flashing red as Natsu came to his side. More accurately, END would be a better name for him now. His eyes were now red and glowing, with golden horns growing from his head and dark black patterns tattooed along his arms, taking on the shape of flames on his skin. His actual flames were darker in color, almost a pure red fire burning through the streets as END approached Acnologia. Ignoring the demon, Zeref kept his gaze locked on the dragon instead. “No one harms my little brother. If anyone has the right to claim his life…to destroy it or to protect it….that would be me. Now, face the true power of my greatest creation…the demon designed to kill an immortal wizard once and for all.”


	92. Demonic Nature

Spells were a thing of the past for this new version of Natsu. Zeref stood calmly as fire seemed to consume the streets of Oshibana. The other dragon slayers were attempting to shield themselves from the uncontrollable flames, backing away from Natsu and the fire eating away at every plant in the vicinity. Acnologia watched with amusement, taking an onslaught of flames with ease. Then, the dragon began to attempt to eat the flames.

Watching, Zeref tilted his head slightly with a frown. The dragon’s mouth slammed shut, and he seemed to begin coughing violently. “Much like the flames of a god, demonic flames possess an unnatural heat.” His frown slowly began to lift into a dark smile. “While they may be magical, eating something that burns everything inside you tends to be problematic. Defend yourself if you wish, but his power still exceeds your own.”

With a snarl, END charged forward once more. As he did so, Zeref used the time he just bought to finish breaking through the seals within each dragon slayer. He had been so close before, but he had not been given enough time. Now, with END unleashed, he had more than enough time. Flames danced along Acnologia’s scales, never quite reaching the dragon’s skin and harming him. However, his discomfort was shown when a deep growl rumbled throughout the air. The roar Acnologia had been preparing was finally ready to be unleashed, and the dragon took aim directly at END.

Seeing the threat, Natsu’s flames increased in intensity and strength. Water poured from Acnologia’s mouth, a jet stream firing into the streets and colliding with Natsu. However, upon collision, the water seemed to disperse into a cloud of steam, heating and evaporating in an instant. A few stray strands flew away, retaining their liquid state and splashing those nearby. Wendy flinched from the hot water, stepping further away. Sting grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back, looking terrified of the battle emerging. 

Huffing, Natsu’s red eyes seemed to glow as he stared at Acnologia. “I…must destroy…” With that, END charged forward and lashed out. The boy’s usually sharp nails seemed to have grown even further, becoming claws that stretched from his hands. They scratched out at Acnologia’s scales, with about as much effect as Kyoka’s earlier attack. Growling, END made another surprising move. He bit down on the dragon’s leg, making the beast roar into the sky. Those sharp fangs that were in Natsu’s mouth had grown ever so slightly, and with his demonic strength, END finally found a weapon to pierce through Acnologia’s defenses.

Angered, Acnologia began taking the fight far more seriously. His wings spread out, lifting his body into the air as he swiped out towards END. The demon was sent flying back through the street, groaning slightly as he rose back to his feet. Pain didn’t even seem to phase him, an alarming sight for Zeref to see. Despite the scratches covering Natsu’s arms and face, the boy continued battling on.

With one last push, Zeref finally managed to break through the seals. Every dragon slayer, even Natsu, seemed to freeze for a moment. They hunched over, their hands tightening around their bodies as a strange light seemed to pulse around all of them. Seeing their weakness, Acnologia moved to swoop down and attack, but Zeref moved quickly to defend them. As the beast’s jaws neared Natsu’s frozen figure, Zeref thrusted his arm in the way, letting Acnologia bite down on his own arm. Pain flashed through his body as the dragon yanked his head away, ripping away Zeref’s arm in one blow. He screamed in agony, falling over and breathing harshly as he hunches over, feeling magic take over his system and focus entirely on healing the lost limb.

Acnologia dove down to attack again, but this time, he was too late. The dragon slayers seemed a bit dazed, but the pulsing had stopped. Wendy’s eyes darted towards Zeref, rushing towards him in an instant. Above them, however, a swift attack was dealt towards the dragon now attacking Sting. Claws dug into Acnologia’s back as a massive white dragon tore into him. The black dragon roared in agony, while Wendy’s eyes shot towards the source of the sound. Zeref heard her startled gasp, as black spots began to dance in his vision. He felt light-headed and weak, from blood loss and excessive magic use. He just hoped he had enough energy left in him to seal away END when this was over with.

“Grandeeney…” Wendy’s whispered voice made him attempt to focus once more as Acnolgoia turned on the new enemies attacking him. Fire shot out towards his back leg, coming straight from yet another dragon in the sky.

Taking off into the sky, Acnologia began searching for each new dragon facing him down. A different white dragon attacked this time, biting Acnologia’s shoulder. The black dragon’s tail flashed out in rage, lashing out behind his body. It flickered around, until it collided with Metallicana and slashed through his chest. The iron dragon roared in anger, kicking out towards Acnologia and sending the black dragon spiraling through the air.

On the ground, Sting gasped slightly. “Weisslogia…but…I killed him…” he sounded too stunned to believe his own eyes. By his side, Rogue was wearing a nearly identical expression as Skiadrum joined the battle. Black shadows danced along the dragons wings as he shot upward towards Acnologia.

As the battle between dragons progressed, on the ground things seemed to begin changing as well. One decent thing about his curse was that lost limbs, no matter how severe, managed to heal themselves if given time. However, Zeref wasn’t given time to recover from his injury. From behind him, Zeref felt a massive force collide with his back and send him flying further down the street, away from his demons and the other dragon slayers.

Dazed, Zeref rolled over and blinked in confusion. Approaching him, Zeref spotted the one attacking. With flames trailing behind him, END was approaching steadily, a glare on his face. “I will kill Zeref…I must kill Zeref…” It was almost as if that mission had been ingrained a bit too deeply into the creation of this demon. Zeref didn’t even think he could reason with the mindless goals within Natsu anymore. Instead, he sat up, groaning slightly as he used his single hand to push himself back onto his feet.

“Oi, what the hell is your problem, Salamander?” Gajeel called out from the others, making END pause and turn towards the dragon slayers. With a harsh glare, Natsu waved his hand and sent a wave of flames slicing through the air towards them all. Rushing forward, Zeref moved to try and at least delay the power. His magic reached out towards the fire, trying to capture it but failing to gain control in time. The blast slowed its progress as Wendy was flattened to the ground by Sting and Rogue. Gajeel only scowled, rushing out of the range as the flames collided with the restaurant residing next to the already-destroyed library.

“He isn’t the pathetic human you think he is. This…this is Master END…the greatest of all demons!” Mard Geer seemed almost giddy to announce Natsu’s new identity.

Glaring at them all, Zeref eventually let his gaze focus on Natsu once more. His brother trusted him with this, and intended on remaining an innocent when all this was done with. Zeref could not fail him, not now. As he began to try and think of what to do, Acnologia came rushing down between them, pinning Grandeeney down in the streets and interrupting their approaching battle. From the sky, Igneel rushed down and dragged the dragon back into the air, throwing him away and into the grasp of Weisslogia for another attack.

With the dragons moved into the sky once more, END continued his approach towards Zeref. Carefully lifting the Book of END with his free hand, Zeref clutched it tightly to his chest. He missed the familiar sensation of the locket at the base of his throat, but he had yet to fix the chain it usually would be hanging from. However, even without that photo, he still had the memory of his brother locked into his mind. He could recall how Natsu first found him in Magnolia, after Zeref realized his attempts to save lives had only killed others. Even back then, the boy’s ignorance had an odd way of calming his mind.

Now, it was his turn to do the same for his brother. Focusing on the book in his grasp, Zeref let his magic flow freely. “This isn’t who you are, Natsu. You will obey me…and you will stop this attack at once.” END only growled in response, letting loose another jet of flames towards Zeref. Leaning towards his left, Zeref felt the heat of the flames as they flew passed his head and into the train station in the distance down the street. “Then again, it isn’t as if you are known for listening to what I say.” 

Glancing up at the sky, Zeref frowned and got a new idea. “I cannot seal this power away without your help…you must wish to return to normal, Natsu.” His gaze fell back down to the boy, who now stood directly in front of him. “After all of these years, do you truly think Igneel would want to see you like this? More importantly, do you think you want to be like this, when you reunite with him? Even I cannot say how much longer he will remain, so I suggest coming to your senses sooner, rather than later.”

That seemed to get a reaction out of him. Natsu growled under his breath, glaring at Zeref as he reached out and grasped the boy’s shoulders. “I will…damn it…I’m not…what the hell is wrong with me?” Natsu stumbled back slightly, pressing a hand to his head with a grimace. 

That inner battle was all Zeref needed to see. Lifting the book towards Natsu, Zeref activated his magic once more. On the ground beneath both of them, a black magic circle began to appear, runes dancing along beneath their feet. As the sound of clashing dragons filled the air, a dark light illuminated the ground around them. Natsu blinked at the sight, glancing up towards Zeref who gave Natsu a slight nod. “I am keeping my promise…I am bringing you back to yourself, Natsu.”

With that, the light around them intensified as the Book of END flew open. Words seemed to spiral out form the pages, spiraling around the air around both brothers. Zeref felt the slight burn in his arms from utilizing this magic again. Every time, it attempted to taint his blood and take away his life, though the curse continually saved him instead. This time, the pain was welcomed as Natsu’s form began to change once more. The markings on his skin began to vanish as the words spiraled across his figure. At the same time, the horns shrunk down into his hair, vanishing from sight. Once the transformation was complete, the writing began flying back towards Zeref, directly into the pages of the book in his hands. As the light faded away around them, the book slammed shut in an instant, making Zeref stumble back slightly as his eyes began to drift shut. That spell used the very last of his energy, and now, he could hardly stand anymore.

Above them, another attack sent dragons crashing down into the street. This time, Acnologia was the one who was pinned down. His back crashed with the buildings below, crumbling them in an instant. A snapping sound echoed in Zeref’s ears, making him blink and notice the awkward bend in Acnologia’s wings. Above him, Igneel rested a claw on Acnologia’s chest triumphantly. 

“You have not won! I am more powerful than all of you.” The dragon of the apocalypse continued arguing about his unstoppable power.

Joining the dragons, the dragon slayers begin to stare down at the enemy that finally brought them back to their former parents. “Yes, you are.” Wendy glanced at Sting in surprise, hearing his words. “However…we have a different kind of power. I only now realized what it was…or that it even existed, for that matter. I’m lucky that I had a friend teach me about it before this battle, otherwise we probably would have lost.” Sting glanced towards Wendy with a slight smile, grabbing her hand and giving it a slight squeeze. 

Nodding in agreement, Wendy smiled over at the others. “Right. We fought for our friends…and that gave us the strength to defeat even someone as powerful as you.”

It seemed like an absurd logic, but Zeref couldn’t argue against it. After all, it was the logic that had become the foundation for Fairy Tail, and at the moment, he could not deny the impossible feat before him. 

Just as things began to seem complete, however, Acnologia moved to release one last attack. Another breath attack seemed to be prepared to launch, growing within his jaws to attack Igneel in an instant. Seeing the imminent attack. Metallicana moved in quickly to stop the dragon. He shoved Igneel aside, slashing out at Acnologia as soon as the opening arrived. Claws tore into Acnologia’s underbelly, making the dragon’s breath attack become a simple, angered roar. 

As Acnologia attempted to attack back, Metallicana clenched his jaws around the dragon’s shoulder, tearing deeply into the other dragon’s flesh and leaving Acnologia in agony. To finish him off, Skiadrum emerged from the shadows of the sky, swooping down and crashing into the weakened Acnologia. By his side, Weisslogia joined in, adding extra force that leaves a second snapping echoing in the air, this one much harsher and more sickening than the last. Wendy flinched at the noise, while Zeref only watched in silence as Acnologia finally became still, not moving again. A villain had finally fallen, and just as he had predicted, an era finally came to an end. This day was a momentous occasion, the day that finally represented the end of the war that had started so many centuries ago between mankind and dragons. The final beast had fallen, and Zeref let himself collapse onto the ground. A different kind of peace settled over him, as the faces of his parents flashed before his eyes. He had finally become strong enough for them, strong enough to help defeat the dragons that had taken them away from him so long ago. The thought made him smile, even as he drifted off into a void of dreamless sleep.


	93. The Results of Secrecy

Waking up, Zeref frowned and gazed up at the ceiling above him. He was no longer in the street of Oshibana, based on the white surface over his head. It was plain, with a few cracks visible, and his head was resting on something soft and comfortable. Blinking, Zeref groaned slightly and lifted his arm to cover his eyes. The room was too bright, and he disliked waking up to unfamiliar surroundings. He would have preferred to be left on the street. It wasn’t like anyone would be traveling, with all of the destruction caused by the attacks earlier.

Shifting his weight, Zeref took a deep breath and gauged his body’s wellness. His arm seemed to have regrown during his sleep, and his energy was almost back to normal. While he still felt weaker than usual, it was almost easy for him to pretend that nothing had happened. Turning his head slightly, Zeref spotted a book resting on the table next to his bed. The leather cover and writing written across the surface only proved that it was more than a nightmare. He still possessed the Book of END, and they truly had battled against Acnologia and won.

A small smile flickered across his face, realizing he had finally succeeded. Centuries of waiting, and it seemed as if it wasn’t for nothing. All of their sacrifices, and his work to complete the Eclipse Gate, it had succeeded in stopping the monster created during that war. No one would suffer from Acnologia’s wrath again, though he did wonder if the cost was worth it. So much damage had been done to Oshibana, and he had nearly given up Natsu’s humanity to end the dragon’s life. Zeref’s smile faded away at the memory, picturing Natsu’s demonic expression as he moved to attack Zeref. There had been a dark fire in his eyes, an insanity that Zeref normally only associated with himself. Seeing that, it made him realize how others felt around him at times, especially when he was on the verge of forgetting the value of life. Perhaps Jackson had been on to something, by insisting that he should not gain control over his curse. Disaster would follow, of a nature far greater than anything he had done in the past.

A door opened, making Zeref’s black eyes flicker over to the single door to the room. The walls were just as white as the ceiling, but the door was wooden and light brown. A window was off to Zeref’s right, open and letting fresh air into the room. Entering the room to his left was Wendy, with a worried expression as she approached his bed. Her hands lifted to rest against the side of where he rested, though she never lifted her head to gaze at him. Her eyes were red and puffy, and Zeref heard her sniffle slightly as she touched his arm gently. 

The light-yellow curtains blew slightly towards him as another breeze pushed into the room. A slight chill entered the air, as Zeref waited for the girl to break her silence. “I…I don’t know what to do anymore. I’ve tried healing…but it doesn’t seem to help. Natsu says not to worry, but I can tell he is upset too. All of us…we need you to wake up. You told me you knew about Grandeeney…that you knew where she was…but I never thought…none of us realized…” She choked slightly, her head turning away as she bit her lip. “They’re all gone. Whatever kept them inside of us…it was keeping them alive…Natsu won’t talk to anyone about it, and Gajeel is pretending like it doesn’t matter. I tried talking to Sting and Rogue, but they just said…they said it was better to forget about it. They dealt with their grief a long time ago…and even they refuse to talk much about them. I just…I don’t know what to do. Grandeeney was always alive…I knew she was…but, when I finally found her…” Wendy trailed off again, tears finally falling onto her cheeks once more.

Taking a deep breath, Zeref dropped his arm and turned towards her. “I see. We had speculated about the possibility…but none of us truly imagined what the effects of this spell would be.” Wendy froze, her eyes wide as she gazed towards Zeref. “Irene was the one who created the enchantment…and going into it, even the dragons were aware of the risks. Acnologia was our creation, the weapon we designed to fight our war for us. It was our responsibility to end him…no, perhaps that isn’t quite right.” Zeref sat up, pressing a hand to his forehead. “I had no involvement in the war, beyond losing my family at that point. I disliked the idea of fighting, and I spent most of my time contemplating ways to deal with my curse. They came to me for aid…seeking a plan that would manage to stop their monster once and for all.”

Sniffling slightly, Wendy gripped the bedsheets tighter in her hands. “But…Grandeeney didn’t have to die…why couldn’t you have stopped him then?”

Looking away from her, Zeref focused on the sky outside of the window. It was light out, with a practically clear sky. So much brightness was dawning over a time that had just been so dark. “Time effects all living things, Wendy. Even Acnologia is not immune to the ravages of time. He grew weaker over the years, becoming more lax and less trained. With my limited knowledge…I had hoped that before this battle occurred, we could determine a method to undo what had happened to Acnologia. However, four centuries of time was not enough…even with Irene doing her own research into the matter. Once a dragon slayer becomes a dragon, no power can reverse the transformation in more than form alone. As grim as it may be, death was the only method to stop the beast that wished to become stronger than any in existence.”

Shaking her head, Wendy still looked lost. “I don’t…I don’t care about that! Acnologia was bad…I understand that someone and to stop him. He tried to destroy this town…he killed people when he destroyed those buildings…and he tried to harm all of my friends. I just…I just want Grandeeney back…I don’t understand why she had to die too!”

She was practically shouting at the end, her grip moving to grasp his arm. Zeref tried to pull away slightly, unsure of what to add. Grief was a concept he had practically forgotten about. He had lost far too many people to become devastated over the deaths of everyone he met anymore. Now, only those he truly valued caused him any type of pain, and those people were few and far in between. “The enchantment…it was the only way to allow for Eclipse to work. The gate was designed with humans in mind, not dragons. Theoretically, if a large enough gate was created, dragons could pass through…however, we did not have the necessary time to create such a spell. Irene’s power allowed for them to become one with all of you…however, it drew upon each dragon’s own strength to create the spell. We discussed how dangerous it could be, how it may deplete all of their strength entirely and render them dead when it finally broke. None of them argued against the plan…the dragons wished to do whatever was necessary to protect your future. Grandeeney only ever wished to help you, Wendy. Do not let her death be in vain. She would not wish for you to live your life in misery, not after sacrificing everything to keep you alive.”

It was probably the only time Zeref would attempt to reason why anyone had to die. He disliked contemplating life and death excessively, as it often lead to more death with his curse. “I…”Wendy blinked at him, still looking lost as to what to do. “I guess I see why you didn’t tell me before. You knew…you knew that Grandeeney wasn’t going to be around for much longer. But…I know you are right. Grandeeney always tried to comfort me when I was sad, and she told me that while it is okay to cry, you always have to stop at some point and move forward.” Glancing towards him, Wendy attempted a small smile. “So, I probably should have asked this sooner…but how are you feeling?”

Shaking his head, Zeref let his hands rest in his lap as he smiled slightly. “Back to normal…I think. Though, I do believe I failed in my test. Perhaps there is another way to gain Jackson’s aid…” Zeref trailed off, shaking his head as it went down darker paths. Those plans would not be the right way to eliminate his curse. He had to avoid harming as many people as possible, if he wished to retain his humanity when he lost his immortality.

The door opened yet again, just as Wendy began to open her mouth to ask another question. Both of them turned to see Natsu glaring at both of them within. His arms were crossed over his chest and he immediately walked straight to Zeref’s bedside, standing right next to Wendy. He leaned forward, gazing into Zeref’s eyes with a harsh glare. “I’ve been waiting for you to wake up. So, did you know the truth about them? Did you know that when this was done with…that Igneel and the others…” Natsu broke off, instead focusing on glaring instead.

With his smile fading, Zeref avoided his brother’s gaze. This was sounding far too much like Wendy’s earlier questions, but he couldn’t deny the odd sensation of guilt. Perhaps he should have told them. It seemed like secrets had only managed to anger both of them, even if that anger was far more mild within Wendy than it was in Natsu. “I knew it was a possibility, yes. As I just explained to Wendy—“

Zeref broke off as Natsu slapped his cheek, hard. Blinking in shock, Zeref watched the boy stand up straighter and glare at him. “You goddam idiot!” Out of all the insults Zeref expected to hear, this one was a surprise. Few ever doubted his intelligence, though his mental sanity was an entirely different concept. “How could you hide that from me? From any of us?” Natsu was breathing hard, glaring harshly towards him. “Keep your own secrets, protect your own goddamn past. I don’t care about that crap. But…when these secrets of yours hurt others, that is when I can’t stand by and support it. Every dragon slayer…all of us deserved to know, Zeref. I don’t care if it alerted Acnologia to your goddam plan, we needed to be prepared for this! All of us…we all had hope that we were finally being reunited with our parents…but you couldn’t tell us that it was just a lie, that they were already dead to begin with.”

Closing his eyes, Zeref pressed his hand into his hair. “Natsu…please, I didn’t wish to—“

“Hurt me?” Natsu snorted, letting out a short laugh. “Kinda sounds like your curse then, doesn’t it?” That made Zeref stiffen, his expression going blank. “Maybe you were right. I guess being friends with you…earning your protection means getting hurt in the end. I expected that much…but I didn’t realize you’d be the one who took away Igneel from me. Your stupid plans…your mindset of seeing us as nothing but pawns…if it wasn’t for that, you would have seen the potential of killing Igneel in the first place! You never would have done any of this.”

Wendy grabbed Natsu’s arm, her eyes wide. “Natsu, it isn’t right for us to blame—“

Yanking his arm away from her, Natsu backed away from both of them with a harsh glare. “I’m done with this. Igneel is gone…Lisanna and Happy are gone…everyone I ever cared about, lost because of you and your stupid plans and secrets. What kind of a brother does that? Whatever kind it is…it isn’t a brother I want to have.” With a scowl, Natsu glanced over towards the table with the book on it. “I saved your stupid book for you, by the way. I guess I should thank you for keeping your word with helping me through that…but I guess I don’t owe you any thanks, do I? After all, I was just a weapon in your hands…another pawn in whatever twisted game you have going on in your head. I should have seen it sooner…seen that every time you mentioned that mindset, you were telling the truth. Family is nothing to you, despite what your guild’s ideals are. We are nothing to you…and I think its about time I got back to living my life how I want to live it, rather than trying to help someone who doesn’t even understand that people aren’t supposed to sacrifice others to win.”

Zeref’s hands clenched into fists on his lap, but he didn’t lift his head or alter his position on the bed. His head hung forward, with his hair dangling in front of his eyes. He heard the door slam shut, declaring that Natsu had left. Wendy remained by his side, and he felt her hand touch his shoulder. “Get out.” His voice was cold and harsh, making Wendy flinch and pull back immediately. “If you wish to live…I suggest leaving.”

He felt hollow, a pain in his chest that he had not expected from Natsu’s words. As Wendy rushed to leave, Zeref remained hunched over in his bed. While he was expected the magic to come, it never did. Perhaps he just hadn’t valued Natsu as much as he thought, or maybe the curse was giving him a reprieve. Either way, it only made his shoulders shake and his fists tighten. Moisture was growing in his eyes, though he tried to hold the tears back. “Um…if it makes you feel any better, I don’t blame you, Zeref. You knew what could happen…you let the dragons choose what they wanted to do…it isn’t anyone’s fault that they’re gone. None of us could have stopped it…I mean, you gave us a chance, right? If you hadn’t done what you did…they would have died centuries ago, and we never would have had this chance to say goodbye.” She smiled slightly, pressing her hand to the door as Zeref continued his silence.

“If you need something else to focus on…” Wendy trailed off, trying to distract him. It was strange, that this young girl had managed to understand when he needed such a thing. “Mavis disappeared after she saw you collapsed in the street. I think she was losing control of her magic, like you do sometimes…but no one knows where she went. Fairy Tail misses both of you…so maybe you could find her and bring her back home again?”

With that, Wendy seemed to realize he did not wish to talk anymore. He heard the soft click of the door shutting, but her words remained in his mind. If Mavis vanished and lost control, she would have gone to the place with as little life as possible. Thinking of the area around Oshibana, he knew exactly where that would be. Taking a deep breath, Zeref decided that his own pain could wait. He had dealt with suffering before, and he was used to living with the heavy weight of guilt on his shoulders and the emptiness within his gut. However heavy his chest felt, however badly he wanted to cry, the image of Mavis crying seemed to feel even worse. He needed to find her, and calm her down.

Following after both Wendy and Natsu, Zeref left the odd room, reclaiming the Book of END on his way out. It appeared to be a medical center of some form, Zeref noted. In other rooms, injured people rested in beds just as he had. A few people gave him odd looks as he walked past, likely due to the white gown he had been dressed in while he was resting. He didn’t know what had happened to his robes, but clothing mattered little to him.

Stepping into the streets, Zeref realized that he had no shoes either. The sight made him smile slightly, reminding him of Mavis as he felt the uneven surface of the cement under his soles. A few loose pebbles dug into his skin, making the walk mildly uncomfortable, but he did not stop. He deserved this pain, after what he had done. Natsu’s words still echoed in his mind, making him realize that in a way, this was his fault. He had seen this battle as a victory, when in reality, he had single-handedly eliminated the last of the dragons with a single spell. Their deaths were his own doing, and despite the fact that he held his own anger towards them for the loss of his family, he had not wished to destroy such an ancient race of beings.

Based on what he could tell, his demons had left as well. Their normal energy signature was absent for the air, and it calmed Zeref to know that he had one less problem to deal with at the moment. Turning down the street that led towards Fairy Tail, Zeref considered just what could be done to calm Natsu down instead. Mavis would not be too problematic, but his brother was another story. He knew that Natsu had always believed in him, for some odd reason. The dragon slayer seemed so intent on breaking down his usual walls, but this time, Zeref had pushed him too far. Igneel was someone valuable to Natsu, just as Mavis was to him. He knew he would not have reacted that differently, if he heard that Natsu was inadvertently responsible for bringing her harm. 

As he began to near the guild, Zeref turned off of the street. He entered the forest around them, filled with long-dead trees and dust-like dirt covering the ground. Within Oshibana, this was the one place that seemed to hold no life. Likely due to the influence of dark magic practiced by Eisenwald, this forest had yet to grow anything since the death of the trees around the dark guild’s former home. Venturing through the arching branches, Zeref kept a close eye at his surroundings. It would not be helpful to get lost, so he had to remember how to return to the street he came from.

Sensing outwards, Zeref tried to seek out the familiar sensation of Ankhseram’s black magic. It always had a distinctive feel, compared to other spells. When he sensed it, he realized it was far closer than he expected it to be. Moving forward, Zeref turned around a few other trees to stay on the correct path. Walking down a slight hill, Zeref finally stood at the edge of the explosion of darkness. Shadows swirled around the forest before him, eating away at what remained of the trees in this place. Likely, they had already been reduced to ash by now, but he could not say for certain how long Mavis had been like this.

“Wait, you’re here?” Startled, Zeref turned his head towards the voice speaking to him. Officer Jackson was standing just a foot away from him, also at the edge of the magic. “I saw this magic on my way back into town…I assumed it was you. Never did I think I’d encounter anyone with this curse…and now I’ve found two of you.” The man sounded almost impressed with his luck, but his expression was grim as he gazed towards the magic.

Eyeing him warily, Zeref nodded briefly. “Yes…though she is younger than I. Unlike me, she is not on the brink of forgetting the value of life…in fact, even the curse has difficulty in persuading her to let go of her love of others.” Smiling slightly, Zeref glanced out towards the haze. 

Nodding, Jackson frowned and rubbed the back of his head. “So, what are you going to do about her now? I mean, you destroyed a bit more of the town than I planned…but I did kind of promise to try and help out, right?”

Frowning, Zeref shook his head. “I failed, however. While Grimoire Heart was simple enough to deal with without my power…Acnologia was another matter. Not only did he perish, but countless others did as well…and I even unleashed a greater monster upon the world for a moment, before sealing him away once more.” Pressing the Book of END closer to his chest, Zeref avoided Jackson’s gaze.

The officer nodded, glancing at the swirling darkness before them. “You are an honest man…most people wouldn’t admit that kind of thing, especially in your situation.” Zeref did not reply. He had already lectured countless people on the reasoning behind honesty, and he had begun to realize few actually listened to his advice on the matter. “The fact that you sealed it away again says something, though. Add in the fact that you seem to be crying…well, I’d say you managed to get through this while still valuing life in some form.” 

Touching a hand to his cheek, Zeref was surprised to note moisture on his skin. He had thought he had calmed himself enough to stop the tears, but it appeared as if he was wrong. “Perhaps, though I seem to have already lost the ones I’ve grown to care for.” His voice was quiet and distant. Taking a deep breath, Zeref shook his head to try and banish those thoughts. Mavis was still here, at least. She just needed someone to guide her past this again. 

“Mavis! I cannot see you, but I know you are there.” Before Jackson could speak again, Zeref focused back on calling out to her within the uncontrollable magic. “I am still well, Mavis, just as I promised I would be. There is no need for actions such as this…especially when we’ve just been through a time of war. I find it odd…usually war calms our curse, however, it seems to have done the opposite for you.” The shadows didn’t falter before him, making Zeref sigh and fold his hands behind his back.

“Focus on something else, Mavis. The curse reacts to your thoughts, to the way you focus on your friends and your desire to protect them. Find something else to focus on, regardless of what it may be. Think about your plans for the future. Think about the books you’ve read…the adventures you’ve been on.” Smiling slightly, Zeref tilted his head slightly. “Think about fairies. It would be quite an interesting mystery to solve, determining if such a creature does, in fact, have a tail. Perhaps I will join you one day on that quest…it isn’t as if I’ve spent much time researching mythological creatures, after all.”

The magic spiraling before him seemed to slow down its progress, shrinking in size as he spoke. He knew Mavis well, and he knew that there was always a way to distract the girl and bring back a smile to her face. As soon as he gave her something to latch onto, he knew she would regain control, even if it was only for a brief moment. When the magic faded away completely from sight, Zeref watched as Mavis began to walk forward from within the trees, a few tears still lingering on her cheeks as her green eyes spotted him. “Zeref?” Her questioning tone made him smile, nodding slightly.

The girl seemed to bite her lip nervously, toying with her hands in front of her. “Um…sorry about all of that…but, were you being serious?” A light seemed to shine in her gaze as her head glanced up towards him. “Are we really going to find a fairy?” With that, her hands clasped just beneath her chin, a pleading look entering her eager eyes.

Chuckling, Zeref inclined his head towards her. “If that is your wish…it appears as if I have little left to do in town anymore, after all. I may have made a mistake…Natsu is quite angry with me, and I do believe I’ve thoroughly destroyed Oshibana now.”

Blinking, Mavis slowly began to shake her head, placing her hands on her hips. “That is unacceptable! It wasn’t your fault the town was destroyed…you can’t really predict the actions of a dragon, Zeref.” She walked forward, almost as if she was reprimanding him. “As for Natsu…he doesn’t really strike me as the type to hold a grudge. I talked with him a bit while you were out earlier…and I know you are a dear friend of his, at the very least. He won’t be mad at you forever, Zeref.”

It was what he wanted to hear, and the reason he sought her out after his encounter with Natsu in that medical facility before. Taking a deep breath, Zeref turned his gaze back towards Jackson, who was watching with a slight frown. “Officer Jackson, allow me to introduce you to Mavis, the founder of Fairy Tail.”

His gaze scanned over Mavis for a moment, his blue eyes widening ever so slightly. “Wait…she’s cursed? But she’s…she’s just a child!”

Frowning, Zeref tilted his head slightly. “For someone who understands this curse so well, you continue to surprise me. Appearances are quite deceiving, Jackson. Mavis was born about a century ago.”

“That isn’t what I meant.” Jackson frowned and ran a hand through his hair. It was worn loose today, with the medium-length blue strands dangling just below his shoulders. “If she looks like this…that means she was cursed when she was just a child. I just can’t imagine…how it could happen. Even prodigies don’t manage to understand enough about magic to anger gods at her age…” He trailed off, glancing between them. “I’ll admit, you seemed a bit young for the curse too, but at least you look like a young adult, to some extent.”

Looking away from both of them, Zeref closed his eyes and thought about it for a moment. He had lost track of his age long ago, and now he hardly recalled more beyond that he had lived about four hundred years or so. “I…I believe I was nineteen, when I was cursed. I cannot say for certain…” He trailed off slightly, shaking his head with a sigh. “As for Mavis…I suppose her curse is my own fault as well. I taught her the spell that gave her the curse in the first place.”

He felt Mavis smack his arm, a slight pout on her face as she shook her head. “Stop blaming yourself for everything! You told me not to use that spell. I was the one who didn’t listen, so I’m to blame as well.” With that, she turned towards Jackson with a smile. “Anyway, I’d like to properly meet your new friend. I didn’t realize you told someone else about our curse.” She smiled brightly towards Jackson and held her hand out for him to shake. “You can shake my hand, I’m feeling much better now. All I have to do is think about fairies, and all the pain goes away for just a moment.”

Watching her closely, Jackson nodded and shook her hand. “It is good to meet you. To be honest, I was beginning to think Aug—er, Zeref, didn’t have any friends. He wasn’t doing too good the last time I saw him…but I’m guessing the battle helped with that slightly.” Glancing between them, Jackson seemed to hesitate for a moment. “But honestly, dragons? How the hell did those creatures even manage to come back to destroy so much?”

“Acnologia never went away to begin with.” Zeref glanced towards the town, letting his hands rest by his sides. While he couldn’t see the buildings of Oshibana, he knew they were falling apart after the battle. “Four hundred years ago, it was discovered that dragon slayers would ultimately transform into dragons themselves. One such dragon slayer turned against dragons and humans alike…and became the greatest enemy this world had seen. Yesterday, Acnologia attacked once more…and allowed a centuries-old plan to finally come to its end.” His hands closed slightly into fists and his head dropped slightly. “However, I wish I had thought of another method. Even when I try to help…all I manage to do is cause more pain and suffering. Oshibana…Acnologia..the dragons…Natsu…the dragon slayers…none of them are better for the things I’ve done. My plan killed the last of a great and mighty race…and now, I do not think any of them wish to see me again.”

Wendy claimed to have forgiven him, but that pain was still in her. She had been angry at first, and he knew that gaining her forgiveness was not the same as taking away the suffering she felt. “Damn…I guess we have a bit of work to do, then.” Rubbing the back of his head, Jackson turned and began to walk towards the street. Glancing towards Mavis for a moment, Zeref watched her nod before following after him. “You’ve got some problems, and you’ve made mistakes. Like your friend said before, it isn’t as if the world is over. Just focus on what to do next, and stop living in the past. That’s what’s best for everyone…especially someone with a curse like yours.”

“So, how do you even know about the curse?” Mavis sounded genuinely curious as she walked across the dusty landscape. Her feet left small indents in the lifeless dirt, side by side with Zeref’s own tracks. “I mean, even on Tenrou Island information was scarce. There was only one book about it…and it took me forever to actually find and read it! I’m glad I did, though.” Mavis patted Zeref’s arm gently, making him lean away slightly in fear of causing her harm. “That’s how I recognized what was wrong with Zeref when I met him…and if I hadn’t done that, we never would have become friends, right?”

Avoiding her gaze, Zeref frowned slightly. “I’m not entirely sure of that…I may have still trained you all, even if you had not been the first to correctly identify my magic.” Then again, that curiosity that she had stirred within him had been what made him want to stick around a little longer.

“Yeah, well I can’t say I’ve read a whole lot on Ankhseram’s Curse either. It is rather rare, even compared to other curses. Still, I’ve found enough to understand the basics…and to know it when I see it. Not many types of magic can do what that curse does, after all.” Jackson glanced over his shoulder towards them, seeing the way Mavis’ eyes widened in curiosity. Her mouth opened again with another question, but Jackson continued before she could interrupt. “Then again, not many curses are as hard to deal with as yours, either. I don’t know what either of you did to earn it…but I hope it was actually worth it in the end. Not many things are worth suffering for eternity for.”

Glancing at her feet, Mavis’s smile faded and her pace slowed. By her side, Zeref only frowned, before seeing Mavis’ reaction and focusing on her instead. Maybe just gaining Natsu hadn’t quite been worth this much pain. He killed far too many, and so many other lives had been traded away just so Natsu could live. However, he had found something later on in life that he never would have had four hundred years ago. No one back then had been quite like Mavis…and no one understood him as well as the innocent girl debating the price she had paid to save her friend.

Hesitantly, Zeref reached out and grasped her hand, squeezing it slightly. He didn’t know how far he could push his curse with her, but he knew that gestures like this had never harmed her in the past. Her green eyes flashed up towards his, wide and moist as she focused on her own memories. “You would be correct…however, sometimes, it takes an eternity to find what is worth all that suffering in the first place.” Blinking, Mavis smiled slightly, squeezing his hand in return before pulling away and staring ahead once more. 

Shaking his head, Jackson smiled as they arrived back on the street, turning towards Oshibana. “You two are good for each other. I never expected that the curse would act as a defense mechanism like this…but I’m kind of glad. At least you two aren’t alone with all of that going on in your lives.”

With his eyes flashing, Zeref scowled and glared at Jackson. “Do not be foolish and naïve. There is no such thing as immunity to this curse…not even immortality can surpass the death magic emitted as a result. I know from experience…if you love anyone too much, if you value any form of life extensively, it will perish regardless of what anyone does to save it.”

Biting her lip, Mavis reached over once more and touched Zeref’s arm. He had stopped walking, taking deep breaths to calm himself before his anger took over again. “Sorry about Zeref. He’s a bit sensitive about all of this, that’s all.” She patted his arm, making Zeref frown as she stepped closer to Jackson with a slight smile. “I can’t really say much about it, mostly because I don’t really remember it that well…but Zeref says I actually died only a few years after gaining my curse. He loved me…and he felt so guilty about it when his curse proved to be stronger than the immortality I had gained.”

Jackson’s gaze softened slightly, nodding as he turned away. “Sorry, I didn’t realize any of that…I guess I see what you needed the dark guild for now, though. It must take some kind of illegal magic to fix a problem like that…and I’m glad that you managed to succeed.” With that, Jackson turned down another street, heading towards the residential area again. They had just walked passed all of the destruction and chaos within Oshibana, ignoring the destroyed town and moving quickly towards their destination. “It kind of makes me wish I had power like that…but it was never meant to be.”

Narrowing his gaze, Zeref prepared for another speech about how miserable immortality could truly be. However, Jackson interrupted quickly. “Not in the way you’re thinking.” His gaze looked distant, lost in thought. “I just meant I wish I had magic…maybe then, I wouldn’t be so useless. Maybe then…my mother would have…no, I don’t think it would have helped anyway. Look, you guys wanted to know how I knew about your curse, right?”

Nodding, Mavis eagerly followed as Jackson led them inside of his house. Zeref recalled this place from before Grimoire Heart arrived, a small place that he had rested in while the curse toyed around with the sanity in his mind. At least, he had thought it was the curse. Perhaps he had been feeling conflicted himself. Sometimes, it was hard to tell the difference. 

Jackson remained silent, leading them through the halls of his home for a moment. Zeref spotted the area behind the wall of the living room that Jackson had disappeared into before. The kitchen was there, small with just enough room for a sink, stove and a small table for eating. Passing it quickly, the sight vanished and was hidden by another wall, this one a hallway lined with doors to other rooms. On the left, Zeref spotted a slightly-opened door that led to a darkened bathroom. 

As they approached the end of the hall, Zeref spotted a picture hung on the wall they walked past on his right. It was an image of three people, smiling brightly. A young Jackson stood in the center, with a bright smile on his face as he posed between his parents. A hand rested on his shoulder, small and slender. A short woman stood by his left, with pale skin that seemed to be almost thin and clinging to her body. She looked incredibly ill, but she still managed to smile. Dark blue hair matching Jackson’s flowed down over her shoulders, curling more the further it grew from her head. Far more fit, a muscular man stood on the other side. He had square-like shoulders, and he towered over the others in the picture. His expression was strained, with wrinkles forming on his forehead and a sleeveless shirt revealing his toned arms. His arm wrapped around the woman, though his hand almost seemed to hover above her shoulder rather than touching it.

Turning his head away, Zeref focused on the back of Jackson’s head instead. He had reached the end of the hallway, and there, he opened a door that stood on the right side. Within was a small bedroom, cluttered with random unfinished snacks. Papers were scattered across the bed and on a desk nearby. However, Zeref’s gaze was drawn to the shelves lining the walls. Books covered the room, most of them worn and cracked in spots. Leather covers that had dried out to the point where the words were illegible faced him, revealing just how ancient these texts truly were.

Unable to form the question, Zeref only turned to stare at Jackson who turned towards them with a smile, though there was no light in his eyes. “This is how I know…it took me a long time to gather all of this…to learn so much about magic. To be honest, this was the hardest type of magic to understand…but I had thought it was my only hope.” Rubbing the back of his head, Jackson glanced towards them as he sat down on the edge of the bed. “I don’t really have a good way of saying this…but I guess I should probably start somewhere, at least. You see, I needed to learn everything about curses, long ago. To be completely honest…I wanted to curse myself, because I thought it was the only way I could gain the power necessary to save her, to save my dying mother.”

Hearing that stunned Zeref into silence. Curses were not something anyone wished to have, not under any situation. They did not offer aid, all they could do was cause more suffering. “You already know that I have no talent for magic…really, ever since I was born I was told I’d never be capable of using spells or anything of that nature. My parents were wizards…but I had some genetic disorder according to the doctor’s that prevented my body from absorbing ethernano like others. We had even tried turning to the Bureau of Magical Development for help, but they couldn’t do anything about it.”

Realizing that this was going to be a longer story than he thought, Zeref sat down on the floor. Mavis did the same, crossing her legs and leaning forward eagerly. Zeref simple leaned back against the wall, letting his gaze scan the few legible titles on the shelves behind Jackson. “So, I settled into the idea that I would never quite be like my parents. Things were fine, they still loved me anyway. Dad might’ve looked like a strict and harsh man, but he’s really kind and he would do anything for both myself and Mom. They worked so hard, taking missions together and always making sure they had time to come back and see me. I loved being their son…and when I told them I still wanted to help this place like they did, they suggested going into the police force.”

“It was a good fit for me, I have to admit. As their kid, I understood and at least recognized the signs of magic around me, even if I couldn’t sense it or use it myself. I could help catch criminals, and I knew what signs to look for to avoid Eisenwald here in town.” Jackson had been smiling faintly up until then, but at that point, his smile faded away. “I had just started out, when Mom became ill. Her guild at the time, some obscure one that no one even remembers anymore, they said it would heal so long as she rested and avoided using magic. They said it was a case of Magic Deficiency Disease, and that it was likely from overexertion on her last job.”

The man closed his eyes, his hands clenching into fists. “She didn’t get better. Despite never once leaving her bed, she continued to deteriorate away…and my father and I both knew that something else was going on. We turned back to the guild, asking them for another opinion, but they just said it was a more severe case of the disease.” Taking a deep breath, he turned towards Zeref. “I figured, if I knew something about healing magic…or if I found a way to allow myself to use magic, I could save her. No one else was going to care enough to help, so it had to be me.”

“I knew that I couldn’t use magic…so there could only be one thing that could force me to do so.” His gaze looked distant, while Zeref grimaced slightly.

“A curse. You sought out a curse…to give yourself magic of some form.” Frowning, Zeref ran a hand through his hair. After a moment, he slowly shook his head. “However, curses do not work quite that way. Based on what you’ve told me, you’d likely only be able to utilize magic for the curse’s actions…whatever it may be that the chosen curse forced your body to do.”

Nodding, Jackson glanced at the books behind him. “Maybe, but I still had to try. Mom was so important to all of us…I couldn’t lose her, and I didn’t want to see Dad suffering by her bedside anymore. So, I searched. In Oshibana, we would get dark wizards all of the time passing through, both from Eisenwald and other guilds trying to speak with them about something or another. If I listened in, I could hear about placed they’d gone to recently, in search of dark magic. After I was certain they were gone, I’d go out to those places myself…mostly ruins and destroyed civilizations that had been forgotten about over time. By the time I’d arrive, the actual spells and magical artifacts were taken…but the books still remained.” His gaze scanned over the shelves behind him. “I spent months doing this…just going out, searching for knowledge on a curse that might have a low enough risk for me to obtain…just so I could make my mother well again.”

Mavis’ eyes were wide, blinking in surprise. “Wait…your mother was sick with Magic Deficiency Disease…for months?” It was an extremely long time for the disease, and both Zeref and Mavis knew that. Perhaps Jackson had actually been on to something, when he sought out a different method of healing her.

Nodding, Jackson grimaced and closed his eyes. “I didn’t find a cure in time, and it wasn’t Magic Deficiency Disease. After she died…someone stopped by to officially declare her death, and the cause. A medical team finally came in to examine her, but she was already dead.” Opening his eyes again, Jackson focused on both of them. “Much like the two of you, she was a rarity. Have either of you heard of Autoimmune Magical Suppressant Sydrome?”

Blinking, Zeref vaguely recalled of a time when that disease had been far more common. During the war with dragons, wizards seemed to go through a time where everyone was growing sick, for unknown reasons. People tried blaming poor diet, or overexertion in battle, but eventually, they realized it was more than that. Something changed within their own bodies, and caused them to grow violently ill.

Even Mavis looked startled, frowning as she tried to think of the name. “Hmm…I feel like I should know this one, but I can’t say that I have. I didn’t study many medical texts, my main interest was in magic and fairies.”

Glancing towards the floor, Jackson took a deep breath. His arms were tense, gripping the bed as he took a second one. Seeing his actions, Zeref stepped in to try and alleviate some of the man’s pain. He knew what it was like to get trapped in old memories, and it would take a moment for him to get back out. “It is sometimes referred to as AIMSS, for short. It has been a long time since I’ve heard of anyone suffering from the disease…so long that people had actually begun theorizing a connection between AIMSS and dragons.” Those claims had eventually faded away, as memories of the war vanished as well.

Jackson nodded, glancing up towards Zeref with a pained smile. “So, you have heard of it. I never realized anyone tried blaming dragons for a disease like that…” He trailed off, glancing towards his books again as his shoulders rose and fell with another breath.

Glancing towards Mavis, Zeref continued on yet again. “Essentially…something within the body goes wrong in people with AIMSS. An unknown cause forces the body’s immune system to identify ethernano as a harmful foreign object…and then it proceeds to attack and destroy the particles that are being absorbed. In non-wizards, the effect is hardly noticed…however, in wizards, it is deadly. Magic is vital for our existence, it keeps us alive and it is why we suffer so greatly when our magic is depleted excessively. The symptoms of AIMSS…I now see why the guild insisted it was Magic Deficiency Disease. They are practically identical, since AIMSS essentially forces the body into a constant state of Magic Deficiency, by destroying ethernano faster than it can be absorbed.”

Now seeming to be a bit steadier, Jackson nodded. “Yeah, the only difference I’ve found is in the progression of the disease. Magic Deficiency…it doesn’t really get worse, so long as magic isn’t used. It also has a maximum duration of about one month, and that is only in severe cases where a healer is often needed to step in and help the victim recover. That guild…if they had seen that she was slowly getting sick, they would have known…someone could have at least tried to help her…” Taking a deep breath, Jackson’s hands unclenched and he shook his head. “But, I’m getting off-track. Like I said, I have my own issues with guilds, but it isn’t like they aren’t trying to help others.”

“What I don’t understand was all the effort you put in to gather knowledge on curses. Wouldn’t it have been simpler to just go to the library?” Mavis’ question seemed innocent, but it only revealed just how much had happened since she died. Curses hadn’t quite been banned back then, though Zeref had forgotten that she didn’t realize that fact.

Blinking, Jackson frowned at her. “Um…not really. You can’t find anything on curses at libraries these days. In fact…if the Council heard I had any of these, I’d be in a lot of trouble right now.” He gave Zeref a half-smile with that. “Luckily, the only people that know about them are dark wizards and my dad, so I don’t think I’ve got anything to worry about.”

Seeing the frown still on her face, Zeref glanced away. “She hasn’t been back for long. I don’t think she’s heard of that ban quite yet, I never really considered that she was unaware of it.” Glancing towards her, Zeref ran a hand through his hair. “Not long after you…died, the Council put out a massive search on all books and research containing knowledge on curses. Every piece of information on that branch of magic that they could gather…it was all destroyed to prevent future use of dangerous spells of that nature.”

“Wait…so then all of the research the guild has been doing—“

Nodding, Zeref glanced away from her. “I thought you knew. It is difficult to remember exactly when events like that occur…after seeing so many things repeat themselves, it blurs together and I often only recall vague details. Still, there is a chance that perhaps Erza found something in Bosco…or even Cana and Makarov on Tenrou Island.”

Rising to his feet, Zeref walked passed Mavis who was still frowning over what she had learned. Walking around the bed, Zeref eyed the books that lined the shelves in Jackson’s room instead. “So, Ankhseram’s Curse is recorded about in books such as these. I find it odd, that I have yet to come across any cure like you claim to have found.”

Following after Zeref, Jackson reached up and pulled down one of the books. He knew the shelves well, and Zeref saw no hesitation in the book he went for. Glancing at the book, Zeref noted it was one of the more worn-down volumes here. Time and wear had rendered the title unreadable, with cracks appearing in the leather cover binding the pages together. The brown surface was coated with a slight layer of dust, showing just how long it had been since Jackson actually read through the book. 

The man’s blue eyes slid up to Zeref’s as he tossed the book down on the bed. “I can’t promise you that it’s a cure…but I found something that might help. Actually, it was the last spell I looked into back then…before Mom died.” He swallowed thickly, seeming to pause for a moment before continuing on. “I thought that it was a way to save her…a way to get rid of the source of the problem, no matter how high the cost was. Still, I never once even found a clue about where it was…or where to even start.”

Leaning over, Zeref flipped the book open and blinked in surprise. The pages were nearly illegible, hand-written with an unsteady hand. If he didn’t know any better, Zeref would have guessed it was written by a child only just learning to write, but perhaps that wasn’t far from the truth. The language of the book itself was even more surprising. Magic usually was written about in english, so wizards could understand and grasp the concepts simply before translating the spells into runic writing. This book, however, was written in a language he had thought was long forgotten. “The dragon’s tongue…I can’t remember the last time I saw it written…”

His whisper caught Mavis’ attention, making the girl join them in crowding around the book. Normal languages were written with letters, following a set alphabet to depict words. Dragons, however, were far more fond of literal interpretations. Words were each represented with a picture, some more abstract than others. Unlike most books which were read from left to right, pages depicted in this language were supposed to be read starting at the top right, reading each image down the page before moving on to the next column of images. 

The poor handwriting did not make it any easier to comprehend the ancient language. Zeref stared at the page for a few moments, his brow furrowing as he tried to recall the meanings behind each image. “Took me a while to figure it out myself, actually. This was actually the only book I found that made me go to a real library…and that was just to find something to help translate it. I never even realized dragons had their own language until I found it.”

“Amazing…” Mavis touched the page with wide eyes. “I wonder if fairies have their own language too. What do you think, Zeref?”

Standing up straight and turning away from the book, Zeref shrugged. “Perhaps, if such creatures exist. It would be necessary for them to communicate, in order to stay this hidden from the public over so many years.” Either that, or they had gone practically extinct and remained unseen to this day.

He never had the heart to tell her he doubted the existence of fairies, though. It was her dream, and he knew how painful it was to have those dreams torn away. She smiled happily, pulling her hand back and glancing towards Jackson. “So…what did this talk about? I can’t imagine dragons really feeling the need to record anything…they had incredibly long lifespans and they were practically impervious to magical attacks. Few things could harm them…or at least, that’s what the mythology books I read said about them.” Her green eyes flickered over towards Zeref, who nodded in confirmation.

“Even if it was pertinent to their culture…dragons told their tales orally, seeing writing as a far more time consuming task. In order to create volumes such as this…most dragons would require the aid of a human, or be capable of taking on a form that allowed for writing.” Observing the pages closely, Zeref frowned and paused, focusing on the scribbly, wavy lines depicting each image. “For this particular book, I am inclined to believe a human was enlisted for the writing of it. An untrained hand created these images, and with how difficult it is to identify in spots…I would almost assume a child had been selected.”

Shrugging, Jackson pulled the book towards himself instead. “That’s not really the point of pulling this down…I don’t think it really matters who wrote it, Zeref.” This time, it was Zeref’s turn to shrug. Mysteries such as this intrigued him. He knew much about history, and it was rare to have a puzzle like this to be solved about past events. “Like I said, it was one of the books I found when I was looking into curses. With the unknown language written in it…I thought it might have potential.”

Frowning, Zeref shook his head. “Unlikely. While dragons may have excelled in magic, few were skilled in the underlying concepts required for a complex curse like the one you were seeking. In fact, I am doubtful that they even created a spell capable of ending a curse, either.”

Sitting down next to the book, Jackson’s gaze seemed to grow distant. “Curses are capable of many things, but from everything I’ve read, one fact remains true. All of them, no matter how devastating or weak, draw upon the magic of the one cursed. That’s why my search was pointless…because even if I did find a curse capable of healing others around me, it would have no effect unless there was magic in my system. Ankhseram’s Curse is a little bit trickier, in that aspect. It is capable of forcing more ethernano into your body to unleash its power…however, it still relies on your own magical ability. If I managed to anger Ankhseram now…I don’t think even a god would be capable of making me suffer with a curse.”

Narrowing his gaze, Zeref observed Jackson closely. “You are not the first to suggest such an extreme measure to end a curse. You’ve witnessed what occurs to a wizard when their body is lacking in ethernano…yet you seem to think it is a miraculous solution to our situation.” Folding his arms over his chest, Zeref shook his head. “We may be immortal…but should we eliminate our magic, we eliminate that immortality. Essentially, this cure you speak of would entail ending both of our lives.”

Granted, he wasn’t too concerned with the idea. Mavis, however, deserved to live on. He felt her hand grab his, her gaze steadily observing Jackson as he rose once more towards the bookshelves. Nestled between two shelves was a desk Zeref hadn’t even noticed, due to the clutter of even more books stacked on top of it. Opening a drawer within, Jackson pulled out a handful of papers and tossed them on top of the bed, sending them sprawling slightly over the book already there. “Zeref isn’t dying. I promised him we’d do this together…that we’d be cured. Dying isn’t a cure…it will only bring more pain to the people who care about us.”

Her words made Zeref’s jaw clench slightly. No one was left to care for him, not after what he had done. His gaze slid over to the wall, trying to focus on something else. “Like I said, I’m not entirely sure if it would work. However…if I translated this book correctly, I think you just might have a chance. From what I read, this story is almost a fairy tale of its own, telling a story of dragons, wizards, and an ancient spell that someone thought would change everything. So, are you interested enough to at least hear me out, or are you two going to walk out before even listening to what I have in mind?”

Jackson raised an eyebrow at the two of them. Based on his words, it meant they’d be doing a lot more listening to his stories. However, Zeref wondered just what he had found that he thought could cure a disease like AIMSS. Not even healing magic had discovered a method of treating that disease, and curiosity filled him as he debated staying or leaving. Glancing towards Mavis, Zeref hesitated for only a moment longer. If there was even the smallest chance of success, he had to try. It was time for his mistakes to be undone, and for others to stop suffering because of his own actions.


	94. Karma

When Zeref and Mavis didn’t move to leave, Jackson smiled slightly and lifted his notes on what he had read. “Well…I know I made it sound like there was a lot to tell…but even with the help of what I found at the library, I couldn’t figure out half of what this thing was talking about.” He rubbed the back of his head, offering the original to Zeref as he skimmed over what he had in his own hand. “Really, what I found was just vague details. A few pages seemed to mention a battle of some kind…another talked about wizards…and then, it was talking about Karma. At first, it didn’t make any sense to me. I kept thinking of it like usual, as in, the consequences of your actions that builds over time. However…that was when I realized Karma was a name, not a concept. That was what they named the spell…a spell designed to remove magic from a wizard.”

Opening the original book, Zeref scanned the first few pages. While he had never been a master at the dragon’s written language, he had once learned the basics. Some images were foreign to him, but he could understand enough to slowly get a general idea of what was written. “There is far more here than a simple detail of a battle, Officer Jackson. This book…it is describing the war that occurred four hundred years ago…the war that I was born into.”

“Wait…that can’t be right. I mean, why would any dragon waste their time recording something like this…during a war like that?” Jackson frowned and seemed to reach out for the book, but Zeref pulled it away, scanning the pages further.

He was frowning, intrigued by that very mystery himself. “I can’t say…but these pages detail multiple battles. This one here,” Zeref turned it around to show the page to Jackson. “It describes an attack that I am quite familiar with. A tribe of fire dragons acting alone, against the wishes of the Fire Dragon King, sought to reclaim their former hunting grounds. Seeing the war as the perfect chance to expand their territory, they attacked, led by…I’m sorry, I’m unfamiliar with their naming customs in writing. The symbol here is often used as a word for ashes, so with a lack of another term, that is what this dragon shall be called.”

Zeref’s hand tapped against a picture of a curved s-like outline, filled with dots within. “Ash led a rebellious group of dragons in an attack against a small town known as Mildea. The city back then was most known for its magic academy, which trained the most skilled of wizards until everyone suddenly perished one day, from a mysterious source of black magic.” Glancing towards Jackson, Zeref gave him a dark smile. “You see, this attack here is the very event that ultimately lead me down the path that gave me my curse. My family died in this attack…though this does provide far more detail than I ever heard back then.”

Flipping ahead a few pages, Zeref skimmed another detail of a different battle. “Essentially, this is describing the escalation of the war…from the dragon’s perspective. Based on the symbolism used for various dragons…the upside-down crown over the flame for Igneel, the swirling marks representing wind pointing against each other for Grandeeney…I’d assume this dragon held a strong dislike for those siding with humanity. They’ve twisted the images of the few names I’m familiar with, and turned them into a more darker depiction of the others.” 

“How did you learn so much about this, Zeref?” Mavis sounded curious, gazing at the book with a frown. “More importantly…do you think you could teach me? I think it would be amazing to read a book like this…so many stories of battles between magical creatures…oh, and tales of strategy that could help me plan things better in the future…I can hardly imagine what it’d be like to read such an adventurous tale!”

Hesitating, Zeref bit his lip and slowly nodded. “I…I suppose I could, however, it is not as bright as you think it is. This war was bloody and deadly, to both sides…there is little in this tale to make one smile, Mavis.” Gazing at another page describing a different battle, Zeref sighed and turned it again.

“Wait…didn’t you say a child wrote this, though?” Mavis frowned and nudged his arm gently. “I mean, it can’t be that bad if someone that young created it.”

“Technically, the child didn’t have to be aware of the tale they were weaving when creating this account.” Zeref flipped the page again, searching for something more than just descriptions of battles. “All the dragon had to do was describe an image and the location for it to be placed on the page…while some images may seem strange to the child, it was likely created out of fear for his or her own life.”

The pages had changed somewhat, with the battles describing a downward decline in the dragons. Anger seemed to tinge the words yet again, blaming multiple dragons for what happened. Not only were Igneel and Grandeeney included, but other names he didn’t recognized even from the time he was alive. One, however, was mildly surprising to see. Belserion was mentioned, the supposed dragon who raised Irene. At least, he was fairly certain that the odd formation of jewel-like images clustered together in a circle represented the beast.

As Belserion’s name was mentioned more, another name began to appear. This one had a far darker picture, at least in terms of the dragon’s language. A simple haze of darkness, smeared across the page represented Acnologia. In essence, it was a way to erase his name from history, by giving as few details about that individual as possible. A small act of revenge, but enough for Zeref to see that Acnologia grew to be hated on both sides of the war. 

Descriptions of the dragon slayers, fighting side by side with Acnologia became more frequent. As they did so, the writing took on a different tone. “The dragons began losing battles, as dragon slayers grew more prominent among wizards. When a particularly powerful one began to arise, a new faction arose within the dragons…one that was even more extreme than the ones who began the war in the first place. Rather than simply wishing to dominate over humanity, these dragons sought to put us in our place, to give wizards the repercussions they deserved for spilling the blood of so many of their own kind.”

Eyeing Jackson, Zeref smiled slightly. “In that sense, when Karma is mentioned, it could be interpreted as either meaning. Your overview, while not quite as detailed as the original, is quite impressive considering the fact that the knowledge of this language died along with the dragons.”

“Wait…how did you read it so quickly?” This time, Zeref let Jackson retrieve his own book. “Even if you knew the language, it typically takes time to actually interpret the images properly.”

Shrugging, Zeref glanced towards Mavis. “When you live so long, you tend to develop odd hobbies. Reading is a time consuming one, however, as the skill develops, it takes less and less time to read each new book. While I didn’t read this one in its entirety, I did grasp the majority of it after studying it for a moment. It helps that the images are more straight-forward than actual words; dragons tend to be more blunt about speaking than humans, and their writing reflects that quite well.”

“For someone who lost their entire family to dragons, you seem to know a lot about their personalities.” Jackson sounded uncertain, frowning at Zeref.

Chuckling, Zeref shook his head. “That happened a long time ago. If I held a grudge against everyone who angered me over the years…I imagine the world would be a much darker place, with very little life left indeed. In many ways…I blame this entire world for my situation…though, that is only in my darkest moments when I feel rejected by the entire world.”

Smiling, Mavis reached over and glanced at the book again. “Well, at least you can understand this stuff. Maybe it is meant to be easy, but I just get lost. I mean, what are all these dots supposed to mean? And why is there a crown over them?” She had turned to a random page towards the back of the book, flipping it over towards Zeref.

Spotting it, Zeref blinked a few moments, reaching for the book again. “Dots with a crown…” He trailed off, tracing the pattern they created. Unlike the misrepresentation of Igneel’s symbol, this crown was right-side up. Faded spots from wiping away ink rested behind and above the image, showing a repeated attempt at perfecting the picture. This wasn’t an object or a simple word; it was a person, one that this dragon respected highly. “That’s how…with their help, perhaps there would be a way…” Zeref trailed off again, lost in thought as he considered what it meant.

“Um…Zeref? Did you hear my question?” Mavis nudged him again, but Zeref swatted away her hand with a frown. “Well…I guess it was a good question. So, what do you think it means, Jackson?”

“Not a clue. Like I said, it took me most of my time to just start translating that thing, and I hardly remember most of what I learned while doing that.” Observing Zeref, Jackson frowned. “Though, based on the location in the book…it is likely around the part where it talks about what Karma does.”

Shaking his head, Zeref frowned. “Not quite. This is where it discusses how it was created…though the details are vague. Whoever wrote this wanted people…no, dragons…to know that Karma existed. They did not want anyone to understand how it was created, likely out of fear that someone would understand how to destroy it as a result.” The sheer mechanics behind it, however, were amazing. In essence, Karma acted as a reservoir to hold a wizard’s magic on its own. Then, it took things a step further, casting a seal on the wizard’s body to block any incoming ethernano from actually storing within them. Finally, it cut off all vital processes that flowed through the container within each wizard’s body that held magical energy. The spell redesigned the flow of energy within an individual, allowing a wizard to actually survive without that power. To create such a spell required far more knowledge than what the dragon’s possessed…and that was why he was so shocked to see the name listed within the book.

Shutting it, Zeref closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “This is far more complicated than I anticipated…however, you may have discovered something I never even realized existed.” His eyes flashed back open, locking on Jackson who smiled and sat back down, gathering his papers into a slightly neater pile. “As a means of eliminating the dragon slayers threatening their very existence, dragons created a spell designed to rob wizards of all of their magic. Somewhere…this spell still exists. If we can find it…it can take our magic away from us entirely, and render our curse useless. In essence, Karma is the only thing I’ve heard of that can end our curse, and allow us to live normal lives.”

“Unfortunately, I never figured much out about where it ended up at.” Jackson sighed and shook his head. “Sorry, but I guess I wasn’t very helpful after all. I just…I wanted to try and help you guys. I know what it feels like to have the world abandon you…to have no one listen and try and help. After everything that happened with my mother, I just wanted to be able to do something to save someone.”

Watching him, Zeref smiled slightly and inclined his head. “Do not underestimate what you have done. You’ve helped me regain my focus and my sanity…something few are capable of doing. In essence…you’ve prevented me from taking a far darker path in life than you believe…a path that may have had dire consequences for everyone in this world.” When he forgot the value of life, Zeref knew what he tended to do. He would go back to seeking out death for himself, either that, or a way to change the world into a place of peace that would no longer force him to suffer. Some of his more outrageous plans to end his suffering involved altering the entire history everyone knew, and if he did that, there was no telling what the world would become.

Smiling, Mavis touched Zeref’s shoulder and focused on Jackson as well. “Not only that, but you’ve also given us hope. I can’t tell you the last time I thought there was even a chance of escaping this curse…it hurt me so much, watching everything I touched die. Even now…” her voice trailed off, before she closed her eyes and shook her head. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that we at least know what to look for now. Before, we didn’t even have that much…so, thank you. I don’t care if I have to give up my magic for this suffering to end…if it means I can be with my friends again…be with my family, then it’ll all be worth it.”

August’s face flashed in Zeref’s mind, making his eyes darken as he nodded in agreement. Watching them, Jackson smiled slightly and closed the book again, placing it back on the shelf behind Zeref. “Well, that’s good to hear. If you need anything else…feel free to ask. Then again, I probably won’t be all that helpful at this point…” He rubbed the back of his head, sighing slightly.

“You’ve done enough. As for Karma…I do have an idea of where to start, though it will be a challenge to get there.” Thinking about the mysterious mark in the book, Zeref frowned once more. “I believe it is time for us to head back to the guild. There is a certain member who I believe would be perfect for aiding us in this matter…one who can bring me into contact with the individual who just may know the location of this ancient spell.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Things had gone to hell for Natsu ever since the attack with Acnologia. The dragons had pulled them all aside after the battle, talking about what had been done years ago in order to stop the enemy they created. Natsu had already heard about all of that, though. All he could focus on was how it sounded like they were saying goodbye. When he added in the fact that their scents were growing weaker, and the weakening sound of their breathing, Natsu knew what was going to happen. Despite having just been reunited with Igneel after all that time, Natsu lost him right then and there.

Back in Fairy Tail’s guild hall, Natsu planned on just grabbing what little belongings he had and leaving. If he had known, he would never have been so eager to release that seal within him. He would have told Zeref to find another way. Heck, he’d even use that demonic power within him to deal with the dragon, if it meant Igneel would still live on in some form. At least inside of Natsu, the dragon slayer had still felt like his father was on his side. Now, there was no doubt that Igneel was gone, and that he would never be coming back.

He didn’t understand how the others had moved on so easily. Wendy had forgiven him immediately. She kept trying to talk to him after he yelled at Zeref, but he didn’t want to hear her making up excuses for his brother. Zeref’s plans had killed Igneel. There was no denying that fact, even if it wasn’t Zeref’s own intention to kill the dragon. Natsu saw the man for who he was now; Zeref cared for no one but himself, and he would sacrifice the world if that’s what it took to find a reprieve from his pain.

Walking into the hallway of the guild hall, Natsu did his best to ignore the sympathetic stares of the wizards within. Everyone tried to comfort him, saying that he still had a bright future. It wasn’t true, though. Natsu had spent years searching for Igneel. He had no other goal in mind, and now that Igneel was gone, he just didn’t know what to do anymore. Sure, he had distracted himself a bit with his goal to save Zeref, but now, he didn’t feel like helping his brother at all. It wasn’t like Zeref tried helping him out, so why would he bother keeping an eye out for him?

Not paying attention to where he was going, Natsu practically ran into someone else standing in the hallway. He stumbled slightly, growling under his breath as he spun around to yell at the guy in his way. “Hey! What the hell are you doing, just standing—“ Natsu broke off, seeing the man practically collapsed on the ground before him. The guy had spiky orange hair and sunglasses, and he seemed to be breathing heavily, half-leaning on the wall for support.

“Sorry…I just didn’t want the others to see me like this.” The man glanced up at Natsu, giving him a small smile. “Hey…you’re Natsu, right? The Master’s friend?”

Snorting, Natsu scowled and glared at him. “That bastard isn’t my friend! He’s the reason Igneel’s dead…he’s the reason they’re all gone.” He trailed off, looking away for a moment.

Blinking, the man seemed to pause, smiling slightly in amusement. “Ah, so you’ve lost a dear love, such a shame. You know, with hair like yours, I think I just might have been interested in you if you were a woman.” He gave Natsu a smile, while Natsu blinked, uncertain of what to say in response. However, the guy laughed it off after a moment and rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry again, I’m not really feeling like myself lately. I’m Loke, I don’t think we’ve met quite yet.”

He held his hand out towards Natsu, which the dragon slayer slowly reached out to take in a handshake. “Yeah, well, don’t get too attached. As soon as I figure out where I left my clothes, I’m out of here.” Sniffing the air, Natsu tried to track it down by scent. Oddly, he could never quite recognize his own scent in the air. For some reason, he only remembered what other people smelled like, so tracking his own things was rather challenging. 

The more he smelled, however, the more of Zeref’s scent he caught on the air. The smell made him scowl, though it continued to get stronger. It made him slow his pace down the hall, stopping by a particular door in the hall. “I doubt your clothes are in there. That’s the master’s bedroom…we aren’t really allowed in there without permission.” Glancing away, Loke seemed to frown. “Then again, I was heading that way myself. I needed to talk to him about something…he just might be able too…” He trailed off, his hand clenching into a fist as his teeth clenched together. “Never mind. I don’t deserve it anyway.”

Pausing for a moment, Natsu glanced back at Loke. He sounded kind of strange, with his indecisive mood. However, it wasn’t Natsu’s problem. Shrugging, he returned his focus to the door, pushing it open with a frown. “Yeah, well I’m tired of his stupid secrets and games. Those secrets of his…if I’d known, I would have been able to protect Igneel. I’d have been able to keep him alive…” Natsu trailed off, clenching his hands into fists as he walked inside.

The room was practically bare of any decoration. The walls were made of the same stone as the rest of the guild hall, old and cracked in some places. However, Natsu could admit that it was cleaner than the rest of the place. It looked like Zeref had spent some time clearing away the moss that clung to the stones building the guild hall, as well as getting rid of some of the cobwebs that seemed to grow in the corners of the ceiling around the main dining area.

A twin sized bed rested against the wall just to the left of the door. The bed was made, rather plain with black bedding and a white pillow resting at the edge near the door. On the wall to Natsu’s right was a small desk. A small lacrima rested in the corner, likely to provide light on occasion. The papers on top were neatly piled together, with the writing utensils organized in a neat row to the side of them. A chair was pushed in underneath, wooden just like the desk. Just to the other side of the desk was a small bookshelf. While Natsu didn’t inspect it closely, if someone else did, they would have noticed that each shelf was organized first by subject matter, then by author within each subject.

Walking towards the desk, Natsu scowled and began pulling the papers away from their neatly organized stack. “Natsu, I don’t think you should—“ Loke attempted to stop the dragon slayer, but he turned around with a glare.

“Shut up! Like I told everyone else, I have a right to know crap that hurts my family. Zeref…he knew about this all along. He knew that Igneel would die…but he didn’t think I had a right to know. He thought it was more important to hide it…because he was afraid of trusting anyone else to keep his secret from Acnologia.” His shoulders shook slightly as the papers crumpled within his grip. Natsu didn’t care about what he ruined in this place, not when Zeref had already ruined so much for him. “Damn it! Why? Why couldn’t he…at least warn me? I could have fought against it…I could have tried to keep Igneel alive…” Instead of angry, Natsu now just sounded broken and miserable.

Glancing around the desk, Natsu searched for anything else. The papers in his hand made little sense to him. Diagrams of magic circles were scattered across them, likely some new theory Zeref was testing out that Natsu just couldn’t comprehend. A few others had notes written on them, though Natsu didn’t see anything of interest at first. Most of them actually looked like observations. Picking one of them up, he frowned and began reading through them as Loke tried again to stop him. "Look, you really can’t be in here. I get that you are hurt…but destroying something Zeref cares about isn’t going to make things any better.”

However, Natsu wasn’t listening. He was focused on the page in his hands. While there were no markings in the margins, the page seemed to be separated into different sections. It had been hidden underneath most of the notes, and after skimming through one section, Natsu was surprised to see that it almost read like a diary of sorts. 'The curse seems to be quite active lately. I was forced to sleep away from the guild yet again, to avoid harming any of Mavis’ family. Perhaps I should work on my mindset. I have grown too attached, and should try distancing myself for a little while until my magic calms down.'

The next entry began after that, after such a short comment. 'The Magic Council sent rune knights to the guild today. I was lucky enough to have been in the back room when they arrived, avoiding being seen by government officials. The others tell me that due to the passage of time, they believe I am dead and they are in need of the name of the third guild master. I seem to be failing in Mavis’ dream…if I don’t come up with a plan soon, the guild will fall apart and her family will cease to exist.'

Turning over the page, Natsu kept going. He found these entries oddly intriguing, seeing Zeref’s perspective on events for the first time. The guy never spoke about his ideas much, so it was interesting to see what he was thinking about during things like this. 

'The rune knights came again. I am beginning to tire of this endless cycle, always hunted for some reason or another. Always, just when I begin to settle into the calmness of an era, another comes to seek out my power, awakening my anger yet again. Death and destruction follow after…and I fear just what this next awakening shall bring. I have not been active since Mavis’ passing…and with how pointless it seems to work on reviving her, I am beginning to question if I should simply give in. If I leave Fairy Tail now, the guild will name another master, and I can return to my former goals. The world would be better off without an individual like me, and countless lives would be spared, should I succeed in finding peace and ending my existence.'

Natsu pulled out the chair, sitting down and getting comfortable. Maybe he was prying a bit too much, but he had never really thought about Zeref’s past much before now. All he had considered was that the guy was weird, always talking about death and how he needed to die after rescuing Mavis. Seeing this entry, he now realized that Zeref really was kind of a wanted man. His magic was powerful, so it only made sense that wizards would want to learn from him, or abuse that power themselves.

'I haven’t been able to write lately. Unfortunately, that means my thoughts have not been as clear as usual. It is odd, to see how simply jotting down an idea helps calm my mind at times. However, I do not think that will aid me in the upcoming months. Fairy Tail is now a dark guild…I am certain Mavis would be disappointed in me. Not only that, but I’ve also met one of the dragon slayers. They have arrived in this era…though it is becoming clear that my choices may have been incorrect years ago. Then again, I could simply be overreacting. You see, the dragon slayer I encountered….his name is Natsu. At first, I didn’t realize the meaning behind the name…in many ways, that frightens me. How could I have forgotten the name of my brother? He was my purpose in life for so long, yet even hearing his name spoken aloud for the first time in centuries, it took me nearly a week to identify just why it was so familiar. Even now, as hard as I try, I find that I cannot recall the names of my parents. How many things will I be destined to forget? Is this part of my curse, or am I simply no longer valuing the lives they once lived?

Regardless of what may be the case, I cannot deny the guilt I feel when I see the determination in Natsu’s gaze. He is seeking out his instructor, yet every time he inquires about the dragon, I am forced to remain silent. After all, how do you tear away the last remaining hope of someone in an instant? Usually, I am a large proponent of the truth…however, I do not think it is best in this situation. Based on what little I’ve learned, Natsu is much like me, in a way. He hides his true intentions from the world, attempting to smile and joke around with others to cover up the pain that is hidden in his gaze. However, deep down, I see the loneliness in his heart, the desire to reunite with the people he has lost. Taking away that hope he has will make the bright flame of energy within him burn away, just as it did for me. I do not think I can bring myself to be the one responsible for destroying the smile he manages to hide behind…especially when I cannot seem to stop myself from viewing him as the man my brother could have become, had he survived.

In that sense, I suppose I have been a little more at peace as of recently. I killed again…and I was beginning to despair once more. With the fact that I had failed Mavis fresh in my mind, I believed I would be seeking out death yet again. However, that was when Natsu arrived. Despite my constant warnings, the boy insists that we are friends. I cannot say if that is true or not…however, I cannot deny that I feel oddly connected to the dragon slayer. Perhaps it is because he is the pawn in such a long-run plan, or perhaps it is the name he bears. Either way, part of me wishes I could let go of the way I view him as a simple player in this game I play with the world…part of me wishes his words were true, that I was simply normal yet again and that I could become friends with him.

Earlier I stated that I would not be writing much anymore. Perhaps that was an exaggeration, though I cannot say for certain. You see, I’ve realized that I cannot risk the lives of others anymore…that I cannot live while knowing I am responsible for killing so many others. Recently, I’ve obtained the guild hall of a local dark guild…and discovered a spell that just may alter my curse to an extent that I become mortal once more. With any luck, I shall be dead before I find the chance to write again. Perhaps…perhaps that is why I’ve written so much today. This is my way of saying goodbye…of finding closure, before it all ends and fades away. Hopefully, my mistakes will not hinder the world excessively…and even more so, I wish for someone to finish my goals. Mavis does not deserve to suffer…and nor do any of the dragon slayers who just may find themselves losing their parents because of my actions. That is a pain I would wish on no one…but unfortunately, it was an unavoidable consequence if we wished to stop the world from falling into chaos and ruin.

I’m not really sure what more to add at this point. I cannot say that I’ve enjoyed life thus far, nor can I say that it was a pleasant experience to live so long. All I can say for sure…is that I am glad that for a moment at the end, I managed to see a future life that I could have had. I wasn’t entirely alone at the end…and while Natsu may never realize it, he allowed me to see that perhaps it isn’t so bad to have a friend. One day, he will realize that this was for the best…that if I had lived on, I would have only caused him more suffering, be it through death or another form. That is all I ever have to offer the world…and the reason why I cannot allow us to grow any closer. So…I suppose, this is the only way I really have to repay you, my friend. Allow me to protect you in the only way I know how, by ending the life of the one who will only bring about more strife in the world, and in you.' 

Underneath that paper, there seemed to be something stuck on the table. Natsu’s eyes were wide, his hands shaking slightly as he moved the long entry aside. There was one more entry, though resting on top of the paper was a broken necklace. Natsu recognized the locket, though he was surprised to see it here. Zeref had worn the thing every day since Natsu met the guy. At their trial, Zeref had actually gotten really upset when someone took it away from him.

Taking a deep breath, Natsu gently lifted the locket into his palm, unlatching it to reveal what was within. The oval opened up, revealing a small, faded image within. Blinking, Natsu had to think for a moment about how old this photo must have been. Zeref was in it…but he looked younger, like a child. There was a big grin on his face, and in Zeref’s arms, there was a baby, wrapped in a white blanket and held tightly to the dark haired boy’s chest. The baby’s face was turned towards the camera, and he seemed to be grinning as well, though there weren’t any signs of teeth in the kid’s mouth. Both boys had dark black eyes, and as Natsu stared at the image closer, he began to realize just what this was. It was him…and Zeref. The thing that Zeref had valued so much…it had been this memory, the image of the two of them before Zeref had ever been cursed.

Closing it once more, Natsu felt himself slowly begin to scowl. He swallowed hard, feeling a lump in his throat as he moved on to the last entry. He had already come this far, so he had to finish it off anyway. It didn’t matter if it only made him feel worse for yelling at his brother, he needed to see what else Zeref had said about him.

'A lot has happened since I last wrote, under the impression that I would be leaving this world soon. Fairy Tail was arrested…I journeyed to a world without magic…the Council learned that I still live…and a rune knight has actually begun to sympathize with my past. I find that to be the strangest event of all, relating to one of the people hunting me down. I suppose there is a first for everything, however.

As I write this, I am supposed to be researching yet again. More pointless searches…all seeking out an impossible goal. While I may wish otherwise, this curse will not be leaving me anytime soon. Lately, my thoughts have grown clouded…contradictions fill my mind, and I no longer can tell the difference between my own desires and the curse. I suppose that started after returning from Edolas, however…when I learned that my brother still lived on. The saying ‘be careful what you wish for’ seems quite accurate in our situation. I wished for my brother to be alive and he was, however…valuing his life has sent my curse into overdrive. I need to protect him…yet, I can’t help but feel an odd desire to destroy him. I’ve done my best to ignore the desire, but it only grows stronger every second I spend with him. I fear I’m growing mad…to the point where I am tempted to awaken his true power simply to end my own life before I destroy his. However, I know that such a path would not end well for either of us, not when Natsu has only grown more determined to remain my friend…or more currently, my brother.

If that had been the only complaint, I would say things were going fairly well. Considering just how bad this curse has gotten, having the death magic dormant is a relief at any time. Now, things have grown even more complex…more confusing to a point where even I do not know just what my own reasoning is. I finally succeeded in saving Mavis…yet, I cannot find myself to be joyful. She is alive and well, but she has missed out on so much life. She cannot be around others, and her curse still remains far more active than my own. I cannot be near her, for fear of destroying her again, but we have still researched together. She is exactly as I recalled…innocent about the world around her, and desperate for a family to be a part of.

Normally, seeing her makes me smile. I will admit, it still does…but the more we look into ending our shared curse, the more I feel an odd desire to interfere. Part of me does not wish to eliminate this curse, despite my wish to end this suffering. In many ways…I feel as if I deserve this pain. So many lives were lost because of me, and at points in my past, I truly have been a monster. Sacrifices were made, and people did not matter to me as they should have. This curse is my way of repaying the world what I owe…of suffering just as I’ve made the world suffer. In that sense, I understand my lack of motivation to help, but it does not explain why…why I’ve begun to have thoughts of destroying Mavis, along with Natsu.

I am afraid. I don’t think I’ve felt fear in a long time, and as such, it took me quite some time to recognize the emotion growing within me. I am afraid of losing Mavis, of losing Natsu. They are all I have in this world, the only people that can bring about any form of peace within me…yet, a part of me wishes to destroy that peace. I fear losing them…and because of that fear, I also fear myself. Someone has to stop me…before it is too late. Someone…please, help me remember…no, perhaps I should forget…I don’t know which would help. Do I need to recall the value of life, and lose control yet again? Or do I need to forget, and let go of the few attachments I’ve allowed myself to have in this world? Even writing this down…I cannot make sense of my own thoughts. Do I destroy, or do I protect? Do I remember or do I forget? Should I suffer, or should I be saved? I need…I cannot answer these questions anymore. Please…why can’t I find a way to end this pain? Why can’t I find a single thought to grasp…that isn’t followed with nothing but a string of contradictions? I need help, yet I can’t allow for help to come…perhaps my sanity has finally gone with the curse, or perhaps this is the actual curse’s doing. Regardless, writing appears to have no effect anymore…I feel the Death Predation coming…I need to get away from this place.'

Blinking, Natsu gazed down at the page and let it fall back onto the desk. Behind him, Loke still observed in silence. “If I were you, I’d put the necklace back too. I’ve been in this guild for a few years now, and I’ve never seen him without it.”

Gazing down at the locket, Natsu frowned and shook his head. “I doubt he’s been without it for centuries, actually.” Running his hand over the cool, smooth surface, Natsu closed his eyes and slowly lifted the broken chain to his eyes. Maybe he had broken the trust he had gained from Zeref by shouting at him earlier, but he could at least fix this. Carefully, he placed the locket on the desk and lifted just the two ends of the chain, holding them together with a frown. A small flame ignited at the top of his index finger in one hand, which he held up to the broken clasp. It wouldn’t be a perfect fix, but it would be better than nothing.

The smell of burning metal filled his nose, making it twitch slightly as Natsu focused. Growing hot, the chain slowly welded together under the heat, allowing Natsu to put out the flame and observe the finished project. “I…look, it’s none of my business, but are you sure you’re alright? I mean…I was under the impression that you were usually a bit more energetic than this, from what I’d heard.”

Loke’s comment made Natsu frown, wondering just what Zeref had said about him before to the guild. “No, I’m not.” Carefully, Natsu placed the locket around his own neck for now. He’d give it back to Zeref personally, and find a way to fix the mess he had created. “I think I just made a big mistake. I think…I think I may have convinced Zeref that he needs to die…or at least, driven him to that point.” Based on that last entry, Zeref had been rather unstable lately. Natsu hadn’t even realized it was that bad, with the way his brother managed to hide it with his almost expressionless look. 

Touching his shoulder, Loke gave him a slight smile. “Nah, that isn’t your doing. Zeref’s been there for a long time…longer than even I know, in fact. Though…between the two of us, I’d say my time is far more limited than his…” Loke trailed off, looking a bit distant for a moment. Before Natsu could ask what that was supposed to mean, the wizard shook off his look and smiled back at him. “But, if you really want to help, I guess I can try and help you find him. Last I heard, he went off looking for Mavis. At least…that’s what Wendy said he was up to. So, do you want to go search for them, or are we going to sit around here and wait?”

Grinning, Natsu rose to his feet eagerly and began to move towards the door. “Alright, now we’re starting a plan.” He felt far more like himself than he had since the battle with Acnologia. Maybe he would always miss Igneel, but he had to stop and realize that Igneel had chosen to do this himself. Natsu never should have blamed Zeref, and now, he had to make it up to his brother for what he said before. He took a step towards the door, with the intent to move towards finding Zeref. However, at that moment, he felt something heavy land on his back. Glancing back, Natsu scowled at first, before his eyes widened. Collapsed on his back was Loke, with his eyes drifting shut. The boy’s entire figure seemed to fade in and out of his sight. With no other idea in mind, Natsu quickly picked the boy up and took off running through the guild. He’d have to find Zeref later. Right now, he had to save Loke, before whatever this thing was killed the guy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to let me know if the formatting was difficult to read for this chapter. I couldn't quite figure out how to incorporate the italics on this site that I originally used to offset the diary entries from Natsu's thoughts. I hope the apostrophes still set it apart enough for it to read that way here!


	95. Guidance of the Stars

Zeref had been returning to the guild hall, when he ran directly into the person who probably wished to be as far away from him as possible right now. Natsu came running out into the streets of Oshibana like a madman, gazing around slowly before rushing down the main street of town. As he did so, the dragon slayer ran directly into Zeref and Mavis. Both of them had been planning to return to the guild, though Zeref had yet to quite reveal their purpose. Seeing Natsu, however, made him wonder if he should have said something, though.

Feeling the force of the boy colliding with him, Zeref stumbled back slightly and blinked in surprise. Natsu reacted quite similarly, though at first, his expression seemed mildly annoyed. However, he blinked after a moment, recognizing Zeref as his eyes widened. “Zeref…I…damn it, I didn’t want to talk to you yet! I don’t have time…” His gaze flickered over his shoulder, making Zeref see the full picture. On his back was something Zeref didn’t expect to see. Being carried by the dragon slayer was Loke, who looked half-asleep. A shudder went through the orange haired wizard, and with it, the man’s form seemed to fade from sight for a moment.

“Later.” Zeref didn’t know what Natsu wanted to talk about, but from what he could see, Loke didn’t have much time. “Down the street, three buildings away. on your right That was where I was when I woke up…from what I gather, she is the best healer in town, if you are willing to deal with her attitude. A few of our guild members had to go to her after a particularly troublesome job before we became a dark guild. Magnolia’s healers weren’t skilled enough to help them recover…but she was.”

Eyeing him carefully, Natsu seemed to observe him for a moment before nodding and moving down the street. After a moment of hesitation, Zeref turned around to follow. By his side, Mavis did the same and frowned nervously towards Natsu. “What happened anyway?”

“Dunno. He was like this when I ran into him at the guild…but he kinda recovered quickly, so I thought that was the end of it.” Glancing over his shoulder, Natsu frowned. “I guess he wasn’t joking…he kinda said his time was coming soon, but I thought he wasn’t serious about it.”

“Why were you—“ Zeref cut himself off, looking away. It didn’t matter why Natsu was at the guild. His priorities were out of order, especially when a member of his guild was on the verge of death. “I suppose it doesn’t matter. I just hope our healer is still awake to help…it is far too late for most people to be wandering about the streets.”

His words were quite true. Above them, night had fallen and a clear night sky hung over their heads. Stars twinkled in the darkness of the sky, dancing around the half-moon above them. A slight groan came from Loke, who looked up slightly and gave Zeref a pained smile. “Master…looks like my pain gets to end first, huh?” He said it like a joke, making Zeref frown. Suddenly, he felt as if he understood all of the people who told him to take his death more seriously. Hearing Loke’s reaction just seemed odd, considering he was throwing away his own life.

“Not if I have anything to say about it. I may have need of your assistance…who knows what may be guarding the spell I’ve recently learned of?” Loke shook his head, gazing up at the stars.

“Nah, you’ll figure it out. Besides…this is what I deserve. I told you before, I am not supposed to be forgiven for the things I’ve done.” Loke seemed to look almost like he had found a pained version of peace, in accepting his own death.

Walking towards the building Zeref had described before, the four of them knocked on the door. “Yet you seem to have enjoyed life since that time. I gave you the chance to die, if that was your wish.”

“Didn’t want to bother you with it, Master.” Loke sounded half-asleep, with his eyes drifting shut. “Besides, there were plenty of ladies around that would be devastated if this handsome face were to leave their side. I couldn’t deny them the chance to spend some quality time with me, right?”

Watching him carefully, Zeref saw the way he cringed and faded yet again. This wasn’t a normal illness, that much he was certain of. As the door to the building opened, Zeref was still focused on identifying Loke’s illness on his own. “Well, what do we have here? Another foolish person, in over their heads and nearly getting themselves killed for stupid acts. Things like this are exactly why I hate humans.”

Before them stood an elderly woman, with light pink hair and a scowl on her face. She wore a red cape, and she seemed to be just upset with the world in general. Smiling, Zeref tilted his head at her in amusement. “Indeed, humans do many foolish things, do they not?” The healer looked startled glancing towards her and blinking for a moment. “However this is not such a case. While I am not certain as to what ails him, Loke was…simply at home, when this began to occur.” The timing of Loke’s fading worked out well with his words.

Scowling, the woman turned around and walked inside. Sharing a look with Natsu and Mavis, Zeref wondered just what that was supposed to mean. After a moment passed, they heard a voice yell at them from inside. “What are you idiots standing around for? Are you going to bring my patient inside or not?”

With that, the four of them quickly followed after the elderly woman. Zeref watched as Natsu deposited Loke on the couch in the woman’s home. While this place was often used as a place of business, it also served as the healer’s home. She helped people on a single-patient basis, and due to her personality, many people refused to even use her services. However, Zeref knew that no one was more skilled when it came to dealing with magical illnesses. 

He watched in silence as she began to examine Loke, uncomfortable shifting his weight as Natsu sat down next to him. The dragon slayer kept glancing over at him, and the feeling of his eyes on Zeref made the black wizard slightly uncomfortable. Mavis sat down in her own seat, looking carefree in the room with a slight smile on her face. “So…what are we doing while we wait, Zeref? Do you wanna play a game?” Mavis sounded eager to do something interesting for now.

Closing his eyes, Zeref shook his head, thinking once again about the odd way Loke seemed to be fading from existence. It wasn’t a magical disease, not one he would expect from a wizard at least. However, Zeref knew practically nothing about this particular member of his guild. He never took the time to understand them well, so perhaps that was his downfall in situations like this. “Aww….but I thought we’d at least do something while we waited. How about telling me more about that book then? Were there any other interesting stories in it? Oooh, what about that symbol from before, did you figure out what it meant?”

Blinking, Natsu glanced over at her. “Book?”

Nodding, Mavis smiled brightly at him. “Mmhmm. Zeref and I found a book that talked about a spell that might end our curse…he said there was someone back at the guild that could help find it.”

“Wait, really? How come they didn’t say something sooner?”

Avoiding their gaze, Zeref frowned slightly. “They didn’t realize it themselves, that’s all. I don’t imagine that the…” Zeref trailed off, his gaze moving back towards Loke. After a moment, his eyes widened ever so slightly, observing the way he faded yet again and then returned to his usual form. “That’s it…he isn’t…” Rising to his feet, Zeref ran a hand through his hair. Glancing towards the others, he hesitated to leave. Natsu had just gotten upset with him for secrets, but this time, it wasn’t his secret to tell.

From the couch, Zeref heard a slight chuckle. “I saw that look…you figured it out, didn’t you?” 

Narrowing his eyes, Zeref slowly nodded. “I suppose I have…however, you are no more guilty than I am. Actually…there may be more use to keeping you around than you think.” That made Loke pause for a moment, but the silence didn’t last for long.

“Do what you want…I’ll be with Karen again soon.”

Moving towards the door, Zeref quickly exited the building again. He heard footsteps behind him, making him glance over his shoulder to see Natsu chasing after him. “Hey, wait a second, Zeref. I told ya before, I wanted to talk to you. Loke’s got a healer now, so we’ve got time—“

“No, we do not. I am sorry, Natsu, but Porlyusica can’t save Loke. Only one thing can…and for that, I need to hope that they are listening in on these events as they occur.” Zeref gazed upward towards the sky, smiling slightly. “The stars watch over us…they guide our actions and always light our way. Few people even realize how literal those words can become, when you look at magic.”

The dragon slayer didn’t challenge him, and remained silent as Zeref sighed and stared up at the moon. Ignoring him for now, Zeref realized he was just going to have to deal with Natsu’s presence. “Celestial Spirit King! I’ve come to challenge your judgement, to question the validity of your punishment of the spirit known as Leo. Come forth, if you are brave enough to face me” Silence was his answer, making Zeref pause and take another deep breath. As always, there really was only one way he could convince people to speak with him. “Should you deny my appeal…I promise you, this world will become a place of utter chaos and destruction. I will bathe the earth in the blood of innocents…and their blood with be on your hands, for refusing to acknowledge my presence.”

Natsu flinched slightly, but Zeref continued focusing on the sky. However, it seemed as if the dragon slayer was far more impatient than Zeref first thought. As Zeref began to sense the shift in the air, an opening of a gateway to the celestial world, Natsu’s hand grabbed his arm, startling him. Instinctively, Zeref jerked away from the boy, spinning around with wide eyes. “There. Now I’ve got your attention. Look…I just wanted to apologize, about before.” The boy rubbed the back of his head, while Zeref blinked at him.

“I…that is not necessary. Nothing you stated was untrue, Natsu.” Glancing away, Zeref frowned and focused on the ground. Even if he could sense the power in the air of the spirit coming through, this was still enough to distract him. 

There was a slight smile on Natsu’s face as he shook his head. “Nah, I said a bunch of crap back there. I was kinda upset…and I guess I still am…but I realized it really wasn’t your fault. Either way, you’re still my brother, and I’m still going to stick around to look out for you, alright?” 

It was such a quick change in his perspective as well. This time, Zeref frowned and studied Natsu closely. Was this some form of revenge for what he had done? It seemed like an odd way of proving his point to Zeref, but the black wizard wasn’t certain of how angered Natsu had been. As he gazed at the boy, however, Zeref stilled at the sight of what was wrapped around his neck, dangling over the scarf he always wore. A familiar locket rested just beneath the base of the scarf, though it was uneven due to the fact that it was resting on the fabric of his scarf.

Hesitantly, his hand lifted into the air, reaching towards the locket. Shaking his head, Zeref stopped himself, trying to think this through rather than simply grabbing it and taking it back. Natsu was angry enough without him distrusting the boy with more things, but Zeref couldn’t help but think of how destructive Natsu claimed he could be. As he began to drop his hand back to his side, Natsu grinned and pulled the necklace off, holding it out to him. “Oh right! I forgot about this. I wanted to fix it for you…you know, to make it up to you for everything. It isn’t all that great of a fix though…I’m not usually good at working with small things like this.”

Taking it back in his hands, Zeref spotted exactly what Natsu meant. While the chain was long enough to slide over his head, the end no longer contained a clasp that could be undone. Instead, both ends had been welded together, and formed a knotted mesh of metal. Running one of his thumbs over it as he inspected the chain, Zeref nodded mutely. After a moment, he placed it back around his neck, feeling the familiar locket rest at the base of his throat yet again. 

His black eyes lifted, focusing on Natsu with a slight frown. “This was in my room.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement of fact.

A faint pink dusted across Natsu’s cheeks as he looked away, nervously laughing. “Yeah…Loke said you’d be mad about that, but at the time…I didn’t really care. I had gone back to get my clothes and stuff before I left…but I found your room instead. After everything that happened, I kinda wanted to search for all your secrets to avoid something like this happening again…but I found that instead, and a bunch of papers.” With that, his smile faded and became a slight frown. “About those…do you normally write stuff like that a lot?”

Closing his eyes, Zeref was uncertain of what to say. Those accounts were his way of stabilizing his mind, when his thoughts became troubled for some reason or another. Often times, he would keep them until the matter was settled, before destroying any evidence of the instability within his own head. Sometimes, the notes were short comments about events that occurred. When his curse would take over his thoughts, they would grow longer and ramble far more, circling around to topics repeatedly without finding a true solution. Knowing that someone else had read them…he felt far more vulnerable than before. They were not meant for others to read, and Zeref had no doubt that the dragon slayer wouldn’t have the manners to avoid prying into all of them. Natsu had read them all, and as he recalled, he had not gotten rid of those accounts in a long time.

When Zeref didn’t reply, Natsu shrugged and continued talking. “Yeah…I probably shouldn’t have read them, but I couldn’t help it. I mean, you never talk about yourself…at least, nothing personal like that.” Tilting his head, Natsu frowned and closely observed Zeref. “Speaking of which…just what was so similar between us anyway? When you were writing about Igneel and me…you compared it to yourself and that just didn’t make sense to me. You never were looking for a dragon, were you?”

Touching the locket around his neck, Zeref sighed and stared up at the sky again. A rippling effect was beginning to become visible as more power was put into the gateway between worlds. “No, however, much like you I had once let a single goal drive my entire existence. For you, it was finding Igneel. Every day, that was the one thing you wished to accomplish…the goal that kept you moving forward and gave your life meaning. For me…perhaps it isn’t quite the same, but the concept is similar. I merely wished to see my family again.”

That made Natsu pause, walking forward and recklessly tossing an arm around Zeref’s shoulders. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing I’m around again, huh? I mean, your curse may be making you kinda weird about it…but you got to accomplish that goal, right?”

Smiling, Zeref couldn’t help but chuckle slightly. “As amusing as always, Natsu. However…that still doesn’t change the fact that I deemed that goal impossible, at one point in time. I’m assuming that logic is what altered your own perspective on the situation with the dragons?” Zeref raised an eyebrow at the boy, watching him nod slowly.

“Yeah…I mean, reading that, I kinda saw that you actually had considered what it would do to us, in a weird way. You just…didn’t really think it could be stopped anymore.” 

Nodding, Zeref smiled and slowly attempted to pull himself away from Natsu’s grip. Even if the dragons slayer had that scarf around his neck, the black wizard did not want to take any unnecessary risks. “From now on…I will attempt to be more open, Natsu. However…I have spent centuries hiding myself from others. It isn’t something that I can easily alter over night, though I have already begun to feel a change in some aspects already…” He trailed off, considering how easily he had spoken with Lahar and others about his situation. 

“Sure, that sounds great! I mean, it can’t be good hiding away all those creepy impulses of yours…did you seriously consider killing all of us just because we were looking to end your curse?”

Running a hand through his hair, Zeref scowled and nodded. “I dislike speaking excessively about moments like that…however, yes, I did.” His gaze scanned the skyline, finally seeing the outburst of magic above them and the stilling of the street around. “In terms of our discussion, however, it will have to wait. It appears as if I have succeeded in gaining an audience, Celestial Spirit King.”

Gazing upward, Zeref focused his eyes on the spirit that had appeared in the street. He was tall, larger than Zeref had expected with a blue light illuminating the armor he appeared to wear. The spirit’s arms were crossed over his chest, and on his face, a white mustache seemed to spread outward. A single star adorned his head, signifying the crown of the spirit king. Staring at him, Zeref hardened his expression and stepped forward. It was time to negotiate with this man, and to speak about just why the Celestial Spirit King had sided with the dragons during the war so long ago.

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“Destroying the world is not the way to gain my forgiveness, Black Wizard Zeref. Especially not for one who has deceived my kind in the past and put them on the path towards death.” The Celestial Spirit King’s voice boomed over him. Instead of speaking, Zeref simply observed for now. Perhaps he shouldn’t have taunted Gemini before, but with Nirvana’s influence, he had been incapable of thinking through the final result of tha plan. “All of my spirits are subject to follow and abide by the rules set forth before them. Leo has broken the most fundamental rule for all spirits, to never kill the one who holds our key. As punishment, I banished him to the mortal world. I cannot rescind my punishment so easily, or it will set a precedent for others of a leniency that does not exist among the stars.”

This was part of why Zeref disliked celestial spirits. In a strange way, their strict policies reminding him of just how strict the gods had to be, to punish himself so severely. “Punishment? I find that concept amusing, considering you are not merely letting him suffer, but instead, letting him perish. Tell me, Celestial Spirit King, what is it that Leo truly hated so much? Was it his master, or his job? Based on that…the far more severe punishment would be a forced life of servitude.”

Shifting his weight, the Celestial Spirit King scowled. “And allow for yet another wizard to perish from his actions? That is unacceptable. As much as it pains me, Leo’s existence must be forfeit, as was his judgment when the crime occurred.”

Glaring at him, Zeref tilted his head slightly. “And what of your judgment on humanity? Is that a punishment you still seek to employ? Or is it simply wizards you wish to punish?”

That made the king pause, frowning and leaning forward towards him. “I am not certain what you speak of, Black Wizard.”

Even Natsu looked mystified, frowning over at Zeref who slowly began to smile. “I speak of Karma. Dragons alone would not be powerful enough to create such a spell…it would require the far more subtle powers of the stars to accomplish such a unique creation.” His head tilted the other direction, narrowing his eyes. 

Hearing that, the Celestial Spirit King let his arms drop to his sides, studying Zeref closely. “Karma…I cannot tell you the last time I’ve heard mention of that spell. Nor did I expect any to come to me…insisting that we had broken our contracts with our wizards to fight in that war. Just where did you hear of this artifact?”

“Does that truly matter?” Zeref would not send the wrath of the spirits down on the one person who had helped him begin the journey. “In essence…you’ve broken your own rules. Centuries ago, you aided the dragons wishing to destroy all of humanity…you helped create a spell that would render us defenseless against them. Can you tell me with certainty that Karma never resulted in the death of an individual? Can you tell me…that it wasn’t your doing? If so…then why must Leo remain banished, and not you?”

“That was not my doing.” The king’s arms folded again, his gaze turning distant and sad. “My predecessor…he was a man who always sought to listen to his subjects. During the war…people abused our power. We became nothing but slaves, and the era of communication and friendliness between spirits and wizards ended. That was the start of the strife…the time when we began to become objectified by others. Seeking to stop the complaints, to protect our kind, the former king sought out a dragon by the name of Ash. He pleaded with the beast to enter an alliance with him, that together, they could end the suffering of both of our races…and that was the start of the dark allegiance that led to Karma.”

Glancing up at the sky, Zeref smiled slightly. “I see. So, the dragon’s provided the ability to absorb magic from their own natural talents…while the spirits provided the light that protects the life of that wizard as their magic fades away. A rather unique combination of magic…one I never considered as a possibility until now.” Dropping his gaze only slightly, Zeref stared into the eyes of the Celestial Spirit King. “You claim your protection extends to all wizards, does it not?”

“In some ways, yes. The stars are always watching over the world, helping those in need.”

“Then, is Loke not a wizard? Perhaps you knew him as Leo, the Lion Spirit, but I know him as Loke, the wizard that came to me in desperation, seeking out death and suffering for the things he had done.” That seemed to make the king pause, staring at him in silence. With no reply, Zeref continued on. “He’s come quite a ways since then. You see, I understand his suffering unlike any other. No one has killed quite as many as I have, and no one understands how to live with guilt better than I. You wish to make up for what the previous king did? Then take Loke back into your realm and allow him to live…allow him to aid me in my search for Karma, so I can finally end my own suffering.”

“Hold on a sec!” Natsu stood between them, frowning and glancing between the two. “What the heck is Karma anyway? You never said anything about it before!”

Sighing, Zeref ran a hand through his hair. “I never had the chance. In essence…it is the first spell I’ve heard of in centuries that stands a chance of eliminating my curse.”

“Eliminating your curse? The gods would not be pleased with us, for aiding you in that task.” The Celestial Spirit King seemed to pause, studying Zeref closely. “However…we spirits know much about you, Black Wizard. Our kind has always had a long connection with the Heartfilia family, a friendship that has lasted for generations. Tales from their mouths have reached my ears…tales of the wizard that devised a new way of utilizing the power of the stars to defend the world. I may not know what you’ve done to earn your curse, but I do know that you are a person who stands up for what is right and for what you believe in. For that…I will take on their wrath for you. Should you have need of Leo, do as you’ve done in the past and ally yourself with the current generation of Heartfilia’s. There is no one else in this world that I would entrust Leo’s key to. And to show that I have faith in her ability…I shall grant her one more gift. Gemini’s punishment has been debated amongst many of our kind…and now, I shall allow the spirit to once more create a new contract, with our old allies in your world.” There was a pause as his arms folded back over his chest. “Be warned. Should Leo bring about the death of this child, his punishment will extend to you as well. While Leo will be banished once more…I will personally see to it that you are also held accountable, banished from your world and into ours.”

With that, Zeref nodded slightly, giving the king a very slight bow of respect. “Thank you, for your kindness. Now…about Karma…just what am I looking for?”

A grin appeared on the king’s face, as he chuckled slightly. “You came to me with those accusations, and did not even know what it was you sought?” He laughed again, his shoulders shaking in the air. “How amusing! Old friends, I do believe that you are in for an interesting journey. I cannot say much of the spell…last I heard, Karma was still in possession of the dragons, though it had been stolen away from Ash not long after its creation. Only they could provide you with the answers you seek.”

It wasn’t the answer he was hoping for, but it was a start. With a frown, Zeref glanced over towards Natsu. The dragon slayer seemed to be thinking about the spirit’s words, crossing his arms over his chest as the king faded away from their sight. “Well, damn. How the hell are we supposed to find a dragon now?”

Oddly, it was much like Natsu’s original search for Igneel. The thought made Zeref smile, despite the difficulty of their situation. “I am not certain, though…hmm, there may be a way. If I recall correctly…Sky Dragon Slaying magic does have a rather unique spell that could be of use. I wonder if Wendy has learned it yet.”

The doors to the building behind them burst open and Mavis came rushing out, with Porlyusica watching from the door. “Yeah, get out! I’m done dealing with you people anyway, so leave me alone!”

With that, the woman slammed the door shut as Mavis bit her lip. “Um…Loke…back in there, he just…I don’t know what happened!” Mavis seemed to be freaking out, breathing heavily with wide eyes as she gazed between them.

Smiling, Zeref gazed up at the sky. “He was a celestial spirit, Mavis. I wonder how I did not realize it sooner…considering the work I’ve done with celestial magic.” His gaze flickered over towards Natsu at that, seeing the dragon slayer shrug at his look. “Either way, I’ve persuaded the king to grant him leniency from his punishment. He is likely back in the celestial world right now.”

“Loke’s fine, so don’t worry about it.” Natsu smiled over at her, grinning eagerly. “Wait, I know! You talk about finding fairies and stuff, so maybe you’ve seen a dragon around. Zeref and I have to find one, because apparently the dragons know about this karma thing that can end his curse.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Zeref sighed. “Natsu…even if Mavis could remember the location of a dragon, it would be its location from a hundred years ago. I highly doubt there is a dragon that has refused to move in that much time.”

Staring between them, Mavis frowned slightly. “So…we need a dragon to find it. I guess…that makes this almost impossible, doesn’t it?” Her green eyes lifted towards Zeref, who began walking towards the guild hall once more.

“Difficult, but not impossible. I had hoped the spirits would know of its location…but it seems as if the former spirit king gifted the dragons with Karma.” That seemed to make Mavis pause, blinking back at him. “That symbol you were asking about…it was a reference to the Celestial Spirit King. A spell like Karma could not have been created by dragons alone, and having the spirits intervene…it is almost the perfect way for such a device to be made.”

“Yeah, about all of this. What is this book you guys keep talking about?” Natsu sounded curious, making Zeref frown.

“Oh, a friend of Zeref’s found it!” That made Natsu blink, while Zeref shared a look with him and slowly shook his head. Jackson may have been an…ally, of sorts, but he was not Zeref’s friend. “It had a lot of strange pictures. Zeref said it was the dragon’s written language…but he wouldn’t tell me what the stories were about. All he focused on was the parts about the spell…which I guess was the point of being there, but I wanted to read about the adventures within.”

Closing his eyes, Zeref shook his head yet again. “Mavis, such adventures are not something you wish to hear about. Tales of war and bloodshed…they all sound the same after living through so many battles. To the outside perspective, it is an adventure, but living through that war personally…there was far more death than you would like to hear.”

Natsu was blinking at Zeref, looking a bit surprised. “You know how to read that stuff? Igneel tried to teach me about it once…but I kinda got distracted and started practicing magic instead.” 

Nodding, Zeref turned down the street that lead towards Fairy Tail. “It has been a while, but yes. I was rather surprised to see it again…though, it wasn’t a particularly bright account. I don’t think even you would wish to hear the details…it spoke of the war between dragons and mankind, the one that ended your life when you were a baby. In fact…if I interpreted the book correctly, the dragon the Celestial Spirit King mentioned was the one responsible for the attack on our home.”

That made Natsu scowl, crossing his arms over his chest. “I still can’t quite imagine it. Igneel wasn’t like that…none of our dragons were. I also don’t remember meeting any that wanted to eat us…just where were these dragons when I was growing up?”

Smiling, Zeref glanced towards him. “Ah, that had to do with the fact that it was nearing the end of the war. As the last dragon slayers being trained…it was agreed that you remain as hidden as possible, especially with the plans we were forming revolving around you.”

“We?” Natsu looked curious about who else was involved.

“Myself, Irene, and a celestial wizard by the name of Anna Heartfilia. Together, we created the plan to send you all into the future…Irene was in charge of the enchantment, I developed the spell used for time travel, and Anna was the one needed to activate that power. She was also necessary to coordinate things with future generations…as I explained to Lucy, the duty of guarding the Eclipse Gate had been passed down through generations of Heartfilia’s, before Layla activated it yet again and brought you all here, ending her life at the same time.”

That made Natsu sigh, scratching his head lightly. “Dang, I was hoping that at least one of your stories managed to get to the end without someone dying. I mean, it makes sense since it was your way of battling a war…but, I still don’t like the fact that someone had to die for me to get here.”

“That wasn't my intention…but as I’ve stated before, my intentions rarely matter in the outcome of my actions. I cause suffering and pain everywhere I go, and I am continually rejected by those around me as a result.” 

He felt Mavis grasp his arm tightly, hugging it to her chest with a smile. “Well, not by us you’re not! We’re gonna figure this out, Zeref, and then we’re going to live normal lives again. I’ll get to meet my…son…and the four of us can be a family.” She smiled over at Natsu as well, seeing the dragon slayer grin in response.

“Hell yeah we can! Then, I can challenge August to a duel again, and this time, we can actually see who wins. I bet I’ve gotten stronger than last time, don’t you think, Zeref?” Rolling his eyes, Zeref smiled as he continued on towards Fairy Tail. Things did seem to be looking up for them, but he knew it wouldn’t last for long. They had a long ways to go before that future could become a reality. First, he had to find Wendy, and see if there was any potential for the young dragon slayer to cast Milky Way.


	96. To Speak of War

Unlike the rest of Oshibana, Fairy Tail’s guild hall seemed to have remained intact during the battle with Acnologia. The castle-like structure still stood tall and ominous, surrounded in a forest of dead trees and lifeless dirt. Walking inside, Zeref gazed around at the usual sight of wizards gathered within. They were just as loud as usual, talking amongst themselves. In a corner, a fight was breaking out between Gray and Elfman, which Zeref quickly moved to avoid. Fights in the guild often escalated to include everyone, rather than just a few wizards.

Sitting at the bar was the wizard he wanted to see. Her blue hair was worn down today, with a light green dress covering her body. By her side, Lucy seemed to be talking over something with Mira behind the counter. “—I’m serious, I really think he’s into you, Lucy.” Zeref just managed to overhear the end of Mira’s statement, making him sigh as he approached. 

Unnoticed until now, Lahar stepped closer and nodded in greeting to Zeref. “I see you’ve recovered. It took some effort, but I did manage to convince the Magic Council that the damage was not your doing. As unlikely as it sounds, even I cannot blame you for a dragon attack.”

That wasn’t his main focus, but he nodded anyway and focused on Wendy. “There’s no way he sees me like that. I mean, even if he did, it’s not like I’d go out with him. He’s obnoxious, rude. and—“ Lucy trailed off as Mira cleared her throat, smiling towards Zeref.

“Oh, hello Master. Welcome back, I see you’ve brought Natsu with you like normal. And the First is with you…it’s so nice to have you around the guild again.” With that, Mira turned around and grabbed a glass, pouring out some water for Zeref and passing it over to the man. He rarely drank anything else. Alcohol dulled his mind, and he disliked the unfocused feeling he got when that occurred. Something about it made him feel as if his curse was bubbling over again. 

It didn’t help much after the time Cana tricked him into getting drunk. She had switched his usual glass of water with a cup of vodka. With how focused he had been on his thoughts, he hadn’t truly paid attention to the taste of what he was drinking, until he had finished nearly three glasses and noticed the odd aftertaste. His thoughts had already been scattered by that time, though, and the guild sought to endlessly torment him. Mira tried to convince him to pick one of the ladies of the guild for a date, Cana joined in, and the men just laughed in amusement at his discomfort. Feeling irritated, and with the inability to truly rationalize his actions, he had angrily unleashed a blast of black magic through the guild hall. Silence had filled the room then, before he fled in fear of what else he would do in his state. While no one had died, it had been a moment that made him realize that perhaps alcohol and Ankhseram’s Curse didn’t mix that well.

That had also been the only time any Fairy Tail wizard attempted to get him drunk, he noted. Cana rarely did more than teasingly offer him a drink these days. “I actually came to speak with Wendy for a moment. A particularly troubling issue has come up…and I am curious to know how far her magic has developed since I last saw her attempt to use it.” During the battle, she had shown signs of greater strength. She had managed to cast enchantments on the other dragon slayers without hesitation, and she had even managed an attack of her own. It was a long ways from the time when she passed out in attempts to heal anyone.

By her side, Lucy turned around and smiled at them, though her cheeks were still faintly pink from Mira’s harassment of the girl. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you as well. Something kind of strange happened…and I don’t think anyone else here has really heard much about celestial magic so I thought I’d ask you about it. Just a little while ago, I felt something weird on my keyring…and when I looked down, there were two more gold keys! I mean, not that I’m not thrilled to have more spirits, but it just seems weird that I randomly got two of the twelve gold keys by chance like that.”

“Oh, those were given to you by the Celestial Spirit King. I spoke with him recently—“ 

“Wait, you spoke with the Celestial Spirit King?” Lucy’s outburst prevented him from actually explaining anything. “That’s…I can’t believe it. No celestial wizard has even gotten an audience with him, how did you manage it?”

He hesitated, biting his lip and glancing towards Natsu. The dragon slayer grinned and took a seat next to her, far more care-free than Zeref was. “Oh, he just threatened to destroy the world and stuff. Don’t know why people think Zeref would actually do any of that…but, it got his attention.”

That got Lahar’s attention. “You threatened to do what?” Remaining silent, Zeref took a sip of his water instead. “I can’t believe…well, I suppose I can, actually. Just why were you so desperate to speak with him?”

“The key that was given to Lucy…I discovered that a member of our guild was actually a banished celestial spirit.” Out of the corner of his eye, Zeref glanced at Lucy. The celestial wizard touched her keyring resting on her hip, her eyes wide with surprise. “Perhaps you had met Loke…either way, his true identity was Leo the Lion. After some discussion…the Celestial Spirit King agreed to lift his banishment, and granted you his key due to the longstanding relationship between Heartfilias and the celestial spirits. To show even further leniency, he gifted you with the Key of the Twins, proving trust in you.”

“Wait, that pervert was a celestial spirit? I can’t believe all spirits are like that. Why can’t any of them be normal for once?” Lucy looked a bit stressed at that idea, but Zeref didn’t argue against it. Loke had been known to be a flirt…perhaps he had said something to Lucy that made the girl a bit uncomfortable around him.

By her side, Wendy smiled slightly and turned towards Zeref. “Sorry to interrupt…but you said you wanted to talk to me? My magic still isn’t much stronger than before…but if you need me to help heal someone, I can still try.” It wasn’t unreasonable, her assumption that he wished for a healer. It was the only task he had sought her out for in the past.

“Nah, Zeref says he has something else for you.” Natsu interrupted before he could explain. “Dunno how it works, but he says there’s some spell sky dragon slayers know that can help us find a dragon.”

Blinking, Wendy shook her head. “That can’t be…if I knew a spell like that, I would have used it to find Grandeeney a long time ago…sorry…” She rubbed her hair, while Zeref closed his eyes and sighed.

“That isn’t what the spell does.” Glancing towards him, Natsu frowned.

“Wait, then how does it help us? Didn’t Mustache say we had to find a dragon for answers?”

“Technically, he said we needed to speak with a dragon. Nothing stated that said dragon had to be alive.” His gaze flickered back towards Wendy, who was frowning in confusion.

Shaking his head, Lahar joined in on their circle, standing between Zeref and the seat that Natsu had taken. “If you are planning another resurrection, I don’t think that would be something to involve Wendy in.”

“Master wouldn’t do that.” Mira interrupted. Zeref was wondering why so many people refused to let him answer questions directed towards him today. “He knows the dangers…plus, Wendy already told me that he warned her against trying to do something like that.”

By his side, Mavis nodded in agreement with a smile. “Exactly. My Zeref wouldn’t intentionally hurt anyone, at least, not without warning them of the danger first. Besides…considering our current situation, resurrection actually would not be the best option to take. Strategically speaking, it would likely take less time to actually send search parties out to locations known to have been inhabited by dragons in ancient times…and there would be far less risk involved.”

“Wait, so you want me to go searching for something?” Wendy frowned, glancing between everyone. “I’m getting kind of confused…couldn’t Natsu do the same thing then?”

Getting irritated, Zeref clenched his glass tightly and shook his head with a slight frown. “If people would allow me to explain, I would inform you of what it is I wished for you to do.” With that, everyone stopped talking among them. Mira smiled innocently, while Lahar only rolled his eyes. By his side, Mavis pouted, looking like she was taking it far too personally as water began pooling in her green eyes. Slowly, Zeref touched her shoulder gently to try and stop the sorrow that seemed to be settling in. The girl sniffled slightly, and nodded before Zeref focused back on Wendy.

“There is a spell known as Milky Way…I was curious to know if you had heard of it.”

Frowning, Wendy nodded slowly. “I have…Grandeeney gave me notes on the spell before she vanished. She said one day, I’d have the power to use spells like that one, secret arts she called them. But…I’ve never figured out how to use it. I don’t even know what it is supposed to do…”

Folding his arms over his chest, Zeref nodded. It might take some time for her to train to that point, but it was their best chance. “I see. The spell…it is meant to allow you to communicate with the spirits of the dead. Considering the battle that just occurred in town, we have more than enough energy here to call upon the spirit of a dragon. However, that would only be useful if you understood how to utilize the spell.” He frowned studying Wendy for a moment.

Blinking, Wendy’s eyes slowly began to widen. “Speak with…so that’s what those markings were for! I never realized…it makes so much more sense now.” Rising to her feet, Wendy walked towards Zeref with a determined look in her eyes and a slight smile on her face. “Now that I understand that…I just might be able to use it. Please, I want to be useful to you…just tell me where we need to go, and I’ll do my best to cast Milky Way for you.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Venturing into Oshibana the next day, Zeref spotted signs of people already beginning to recover from the attack. Buildings were still collapsed and destroyed, and rubble littered the street. However, the citizens seemed to have gathered together. People were working to move away the debris, while others began attempting to repair homes. The process had only just begun, and Zeref saw little progress, but he knew Oshibana would be fixed in time.

Standing just in front of the destroyed train station, Zeref spotted a few lingering workers focused on regaining their ability to travel to and from the city. It was a smart decision to repair it so soon, but at the same time, this was where the majority of the battle had ended the other day. As such, it would be the easiest place for Wendy to cast Milky Way from, though it would be a bit difficult, considering the crowds. Maybe they should have done this last night, but he had decided they needed to get some sleep before continuing their work on freeing himself from this curse. 

With him in the street were Wendy and Natsu. Mavis had stayed behind at the guild, trying to catch up with Makarov and the others inside. Lahar had attempted to argue that he should follow as well, but eventually he agreed to stay behind. The rune knight still felt like he was failing at his job of watching over Zeref, but the black wizard wasn’t going to willingly allow the man to overhear information about a potentially powerful and dangerous spell. If the Council heard about Karma, they likely would seek it out and attempt to destroy it. Zeref could not allow that to happen, so he had to find it first.

Now, Zeref was questioning if he should have Wendy begin, or if he should attempt to evacuate the street first. People would not react well to the sight of a dragon spirit standing in Oshibana, but he didn’t have the authority to force anyone to leave. As a result, he settled with allowing them to run when they viewed what they thought was a threat to their town.

Wendy glanced over at him, frowning as they stood in the intersection just in front of Oshibana station. The train station itself had not been damaged quite as badly as other areas, but it still was bad. Holes were torn through the right side of the building, with the walls collapsing on that side. The left side still seemed to be mostly intact, though holes were visible likely from the fight with Grimoire Heart, rather than Acnologia. The street they stood in was still fairly clear of debris, though a few pieces seemed to have been moved to the edges of the street around them.

“Is…is this where I have to use it?” Wendy sounded nervous, leaning down and touching the street. In her hand was a piece of chalk, provided by Zeref for the spell. She had told him that she needed to draw a magic circle for it to be used, and he did not want to waste time in searching for a more permanent way to engrave the circle into the ground.

Zeref nodded towards her, while Natsu frowned as she began scribbling away the runes on the ground. “So, I get that she’s going to summon a dragon spirit…but which one are we going to be talking to?” 

Watching her quietly, Zeref frowned. “I cannot say. I suppose it is even theoretically possible for this spell to connect us with Acnologia, rather than the others…but so long as Wendy focuses on the voice she is hearing, she should be able to differentiate between the various souls still lingering in the area. Any of the dragons who fought here has a chance of speaking, but it will be Wendy who decides which one is given enough of a form to speak.”

The girl continued working with a focused look on her face. “Exactly. These characters just seemed so strange to me…I kept thinking it was meant to be a spell for battle, but now, it makes so much more sense.” She smiled and glanced up, pausing for a moment. “Don’t worry…I’ll make sure we talk to someone other than Acnologia. I may not be skilled…but I know I can manage to avoid him when I use this spell.”

That seemed to make Natsu frown, glancing away. Zeref understood that this just might be difficult for him, but there were few other ways of speaking with an actual dragon. That race of beings was gone, so he had to find a method of speaking to the dead to communicate with one of them. As Wendy continued moving around, a few people would stop and frown at the circle she was drawing in the street. Most of them were too focused on repairs to actually stop her, however, and moved on quickly with nothing more than a slight frown.

When Wendy finished her drawing, she stood up and joined Natsu and Zeref at the edge of her circle. The runes were dotting areas around the edge, and she smiled proudly at her handiwork. “Alright, I think it is finished. Are you ready?” Zeref nodded to her, watching as she stepped forward and knelt down in the center of the circle. As she did so, a light green aura began to circle around her, glowing faintly even in the broad daylight. “Wandering dragon souls, I would receive your voices. Milk Way!”

With her words, the light grew stronger, illuminating the entire intersection in front of the train station. This time, workers did more than just pause for a moment. Now, they completely halted their work, turning around and gasping at the light spilling into the sky. It shot upward, streaming towards a single point above them as Wendy’s eyes drifted shut, her arms spreading outward as she channeled her energy. A few citizens walked closer, pointing at the light with frowns on their faces. Another smiled in amazement, smiling at the sight as if it was a miracle. In a way, it was, however, it wasn’t the type of miracle these people were hoping to see.

The light seemed to focus on a single spot in the sky, circling around and ensnaring around an unseen object in the air. As it did so, Wendy began breathing harder, the spell taking a toll on her body already. They would not have an extended amount of time for this discussion he noted. If anything, they might have to come back and attempt this again, in order to finish their conversation.

Slowly, the light began to fade slightly as a figure began to form before them. A large dragon appeared in the streets, this time turning people’s looks of awe into those of fear. They began to stumble away, rushing into Oshibana at the sight. A few tripped and fell, glancing towards the three that seemed to be calmly facing the dragon in confusion. That moment of confusion faded away before fear set back in, making them flee even further away from the scene.

The dragon was massive, though it seemed to be almost ethereal in appearance. Most of his form was practically see-through, with a green glow coloring and tinting his entire appearance. However, the face leaning towards him with narrowed eyes was one familiar to all of them. Igneel stood tall before them, waiting for a moment before speaking. “Last I recall…I had just finished battling Acnologia. Tell me, what power has brought me back in this form?”

“Dad…” Natsu breathed in sharply, glancing towards Zeref before biting his lip. “I had so many things I wanted to tell you about…”

Grimacing, Zeref avoided Natsu’s gaze. “We do not have the time, Natsu.” He said it softly, but it was just loud enough for Natsu to hear and turn his head downward himself. “Grandeeney’s child has utilized Milky Way to bring you here, Igneel.” With that, the fire dragon turned his gaze towards Zeref.

“Black Wizard…ah, now I see. What more do you want from me? I’ve already destroyed our enemy, and you seem to have determined the identity of my son…what else is there to offer?” He sounded vaguely amused by the idea, as if he couldn’t determine anything else of value to Zeref.

“Karma.” It was a single word, but it made Igneel growl slightly under his breath. “I’ve been informed that only a dragon would be aware of its location…and I had hoped that you would be one such dragon.”

The dragon huffed slightly, crouching down lower to gaze into Zeref’s eyes. “It has been quite some time since anyone has come to me with word of that spell…I had assumed it was forgotten about, especially considering the fact that, to my knowledge, it was never even used.”

“Legends and myths rarely fade away completely. History always attempts to glorify the actions of one side or another, and hints of the truth continue to pass on into the future.” Zeref glanced over towards Natsu, seeing the dragon slayer still standing stiffly and avoiding Igneel’s gaze. “I believe a dragon by the name of Ash attempted to ensure his name lived on…by creating a story of the origins of Karma.”

Following Zeref’s gaze towards Natsu, Igneel let out another breath. “Ah, another name I’ve long forgotten about. Yes, Ash was a rebellious whelp, seeking recognition before he had even managed his first roar. It didn’t surprise me when he turned against my ways…however, that is not the tale you came to hear. I’m assuming you are after the rumored abilities of Karma, are you not?”

There was a glint in the dragon’s eye, as if he knew what Zeref wanted to use the spell for. “It is the only way…the only way to end my curse. Are you telling me it does not work, that it would not have the effect I desire?”

“Not at all. Your curse stems from magic…store that magic elsewhere, and your curse will become nonexistent. Even better, unlike other methods that would kill you and your own creations, Karma will act as…storage, of sorts, for your magic. What was once within you, connected to everything you’ve given life to, will become one with the spell. In essence, your demons will not perish because of your loss of magic.” 

While he had never voiced this concern to others, hearing it made him relieved. A small smile flickered on his face, while Natsu frowned at turned towards both of them in confusion. “Wait a second…what the hell are you even talking about? Zeref’s magic shouldn’t effect his demons…it doesn’t make sense.”

“Actually, Igneel has a valid point. If…if I had successfully ended my own life, the lives of my demons, including yourself, would have been forfeit as well.” That made the dragon slayer stare at him with wide eyes. “Essentially, your lives all exist due to my magic. Should that power cease to exist, so would anything attached to it. This aspect of Karma is actually quite important…for I do not think I would have been willing to pay such a high cost to eliminate this curse.”

That seemed to make Natsu grin. The boy threw an arm around Zeref’s shoulders again, making the black wizard stiffen. “Well, thanks, Brother! Glad to hear you aren’t mad at me for yelling at you or anything…kinda makes me feel better to know that you value my life more than you value your own peace, too.”

It was an odd way of thinking about it, but Zeref supposed it was accurate enough. Once again pulling away from the boy, Zeref watched the dragon slayer drop his arm and focus back on Igneel. “Sorry about not talking much before, it’s still…I’m still trying to keep moving forward, after everything. Besides, Zeref’s right…we’ve gotta focus on finding Karma, especially because it looks like Wendy can’t keep this up for long.” The sky dragon slayer was breathing hard, straining under the continued magic use.

Turning towards Wendy, Igneel slowly nodded in agreement. “I see, I did not realize this young one had determined how to utilize this spell quite yet. She has advanced quickly, under you instruction, Black Wizard.” Scowling, Zeref crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. He had done nothing to train Wendy, but the dragon didn’t seem to see his gesture. “As for Karma…unfortunately, I cannot say much about its current location. However, I can give you a place to start.”

“To my knowledge, Karma was a spell that the opposing side never got the chance to utilize. Our enemies…the rebellious fire dragons seeking to destroy humanity had considered the spell as our ultimate weapon against dragon slayers. With a wizard training under my own instruction, even I feared the results of such a spell.” Igneel frowned slightly. “However, I could not move against Ash. Diplomacy is a difficult matter, especially with how the war escalated into a civll war amongst my own kind. Killing another dragon…it is a heinous crime, one that none can be forgiven for amongst our own race. That was why the war was despised by all of our race…even the ones that started it in the first place. We were forced to spill our own blood, the blood of our family and friends, just to protect our own lives.”

Odd customs existed amongst the dragons, and this one did not surprise Zeref. From what he understood, there was a high value placed on loyalty and family amongst the beasts, despite their vicious appearance. “While I could not act, with my position over the fire dragons, another amongst my kind was able to do so. A fire dragon by the name of Atlas Flame became far more active in the war, far more willing to fight against those on both sides. Unlike Ash, Atlas followed my instructions and regulations, only battling against those who saw mankind as nothing more than a food source for our race.”

Chuckling, Igneel shook his head slightly. “Then again, Atlas did tend to take things a bit more extreme than the others. In that way, he almost reminds me of you, Natsu.” That made the pink haired wizard blink in surprise, before grinning at his father.

“Yeah, but I bet he couldn’t beat me in a fight. I’m still stronger than him, even if he is a dragon.”

His overconfidence made Zeref join Igneel in laughter, smiling in amusement as he shared a look with the dragon. “Natsu still seems to hold onto a strange overconfidence about his strength. Even after introducing him to those trained directly under myself, he still fails to grasp the possibility of failure.” That made Igneel shake his head slightly, glancing towards Natsu.

“We can’t have that, now can we. Natsu, you never even managed to create a roar larger than mine. Atlas Flame is a dragon made entirely of fire…just how do you plan on attacking such a foe?”

Uncertain of why they were taking this seriously, Zeref watched as Natsu frowned in thought for a moment. Then, he grinned wildly and crossed his arms over his chest. “I know, I’d just eat him!” That made Zeref stare at him with wide eyes, unsure of what to say in response.

“Ah, Natsu, I find your thought process as amusing as always.” Igneel glanced over towards Zeref, sighing and focusing back on the task. “Regardless, Atlas Flame was the dragon that was last known to engage Ash in battle. After Karma was created, Ash had taken the spell far north, to the furthest edge of our battlegrounds. From what I had heard, he sought to start from the north and work his way south, stealing magic away from wizards and slowly regaining territory as he continued his progress.”

That explained part of the reason his village had been attacked. Mildia had been in the northern regions of Fiore, though there were a few cities further north than his hometown had been. “I was trapped in leading battles in the central regions of Fiore, so I was not present to actually witness what occurred. However, other dragons fought side by side with Atlas Flame, and their reports eventually reached my ears. You see, Atlas Flame never returned…in fact, there wasn’t a single dragon left after his battle with Ash that could inform me of his status. No one witnessed his death—in fact, I heard that Atlas had killed Ash in battle—yet, he vanished entirely.”

“How does this relate to Karma?” Zeref understood that it was a battle between two powerful dragons, but he had yet to hear how the spell was involved.

Gazing down at him, Igneel seemed to stretch out his legs slightly to shift his weight. “Ash had been carrying Karma with him, when the battle first began. Atlas Flame took the spell when Ash fell…however, no one knows what he did with it afterwords. If you are searching for a place to start, the last known location of Ash and Atlas Flame was far to the north, near the city now known as Sun Village. Go there, and perhaps you will find the answers you seek.”

With that, Wendy seemed to gasp and collapse on the ground, panting hard. Igneel’s image vanished from sight, leaving them standing in an emptied street, resting for a moment. Kneeling down next to Wendy, Natsu placed a hand on her shoulder and glanced over towards Zeref. This wasn’t what he had hoped for, but at least it was more than he had before. While the dragons had forgotten the location of Karma, Zeref was determined to unearth the spell wherever it may be hidden. He would end his curse, and he would finally have a future where he no longer had to worry over his thoughts every second of the day. Then, he could be a proper brother for Natsu…and the father August deserved to have.


	97. Another Kind of Immortality

As Zeref prepared to return to the guild, he felt an odd foreboding feeling about this new task. Sun Village was near his childhood home. He had not been to that place since he destroyed Mildean Magic Academy with his own magic. Part of him was unsure if they would pass through that former town or not, but even being near it would likely bring back old memories. 

Rising in the streets of Oshibana, Zeref waited for Natsu to help Wendy back to her feet. The girl was shaky, but still awake after her spell. “Sorry…I wanted to hold it for longer, but I just couldn’t.” Wendy glanced away from them, nervously biting her lip.

“Hey, don’t worry about it. Igneel managed to tell us what we needed to know…that’s all that really matters, okay?” Natsu gave Wendy a slight smile, though it wasn’t as bright as most of his. The boy was still grieving, but Zeref could see the signs that he was starting to accept Igneel’s death.

Frowning, Zeref gazed down the street and away from the other wizards for a moment. He had felt fine just moments ago, but his thoughts were mildly cluttered again. He didn’t know if he should allow someone else to attempt to locate Karma in his place, or if he should go in person. At the moment, going in person seemed like it could bring unknown danger to whoever was with him. Likely, the spell was guarded in some form, so he would want allies yet again in this task.

Ideally, he should bring Lucy along. While he had yet to see her fighting ability, the knowledge of the celestial spirits could prove to be useful in locating Karma. Maybe one of them could even sense it once they drew closer to the ancient spell. Along with her, he would like to have Mavis join. Despite the dangers of being near her, this task was to free her from the curse as well. The sooner that was done, the better. 

Glancing towards his current companions, Zeref knew that Natsu would never agree to stay behind at this point. If there was a potential for a fight, the fire wizard would always want to be there. “So, we’re heading to Sun Village, right?” Natsu’s question only emphasized that thought, making Zeref smile slightly and incline his head. However, he remained quiet as he gazed at the street. This time, he spotted someone running towards the train station, likely running late for something.

When the person neared, Zeref blinked in surprise. Dressed in uniform once more, with his white helmet and blue jacket buttoned up over a black tucked-in shirt was Officer Jackson. “Damn, I should have known it was you. Got a report that there was some disturbance over by the train station, and I got sent to investigate it. So, what did you do this time, Zeref?”

Avoiding his gaze, Zeref focused on Natsu and Wendy instead. “I was speaking with a dragon, attempting to locate Karma.” It was a simple enough answer, but it lacked in many important details.

Sighing, Jackson shook his head. “Really? I was thinking you may have learned your lesson with your curse and all. Did you actually figure out a way to bring a dragon back to life?”

Shaking his head, Zeref continued gazing distantly towards the train station. Wendy and Natsu were watching him closely, both frowning at the unfocused look in his black eyes. “No, I was speaking with its spirit. There are some types of magic capable of giving a soul form in the physical world after death, though the effects are only temporary.” He didn’t elaborate on who had done such a thing, either.

“I’m supposed to be arresting the one responsible, Zeref.” That made him pause, narrowing his eyes slightly even though he did not turn to face Jackson.

Stepping closer to Zeref to observe the officer, Natsu did the same and crossed his arms over his chest. “That’s not going to happen. Sorry, but the last time Zeref was arrested, things didn’t turn out to well. If you come anywhere near him, I’ll make sure you don’t get the chance to lay a hand on him.”

The threat hung in the air between them, making Zeref glance towards the dragon slayer and sigh. “Natsu, he is the one who told me about Karma in the first place.” That seemed to make the fire wizard pause, blinking and glancing between the two.

“Wait…if he told you about it, why is he so upset that you’re looking for it?” Wendy sounded confused, her hand lifting slightly as she questioned Zeref.

Unsure of why she had not directed her question to the officer directly behind him, Zeref frowned. “Likely because people do not react well to seeing a dragon in the streets of a city, regardless of if it is physically present or not.”

“You know, it is kind of redundant for you to be protective of him. I get that he’s your brother…but, he is immortal, according to the research I’ve done.” Jackson glanced over at Zeref who nodded a single time to confirm his knowledge.

Scowling, Natsu’s hands fisted slightly against his chest. “Hey, I can be protective of him if I wanna be! There are plenty of things that can hurt him, even if he can’t die. He’s suffered enough…he doesn’t need people like you going around and trying to punish him more.”

Raising his hands in surrender, Jackson gave Natsu a slight smile. “Well, I never said I was going to arrest him. I just said I was supposed to.” That seemed to make some of the tension leave Natsu’s shoulders. His gaze flickered back over towards Zeref, who was still simply watching the destroyed train station stand still in the street. “So, did you actually manage to find a lead?”

This time, Zeref turned towards him and nodded, his expression blank. “Yes, I did. However…this will be bringing me to a place I have not been to in more time than I can remember. I do not know how I will react, nor if I will retain my…sanity passing through that place again.” He had not planned on discussing this matter, but he remembered his promise to Natsu. As uncomfortable as it was, he had agreed to attempt to be more open with others.

“I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Wendy smiled up at him, folding her arms behind her back. “You’re stronger than anyone I’ve met, and you’ll have Natsu with you. I know he wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you, Zeref.”

Still troubled, Zeref glanced away with a distant look in his gaze. “I am certain he will try…however, I doubt he has the power necessary to stop me, should I truly lose control.” That made Natsu smirk, punching Zeref’s arm to get his attention. Likely, he had meant it to be a playful gesture, but the dragon slayer seemed to have put a bit too much force into the action. The hit against Zeref’s upper arm made him stumble slightly, before he glanced over at Natsu with a slight glare, his eyes narrowing with the edges of his lips turning downward.

“How many times do I have to tell ya? If you wanna test out who is stronger, I’m more than happy to see who’s right. Still think it’s too dangerous for us to train a bit on the way to Sun Village?” He looked a bit too eager for the battle, with flames dancing around his palms that were now held in front of his body, posed for battle.

Shaking his head, Zeref sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “You know my feelings on that matter already, Natsu. As for my concern…perhaps it is unwarranted, depending on what path we take. It may take longer, but there are routes that would allow me to avoid Mildia.” Placing a hand on his chin, Zeref continued thinking about what he recalled of that area. He had lost track of the changes to his former home, so he no longer knew the norther regions of Fiore that well. 

Still, it was only the single town that would bring back memories of his past. “Mildia? Sorry, I don’t think I’ve heard of that place. What’s so bad about it?” Jackson sounded confused, while Zeref closed his eyes, pressing his hand to his forehead instead of his chin. He felt oddly tired, as if he had been the one expending energy on summoning Igneel here rather than Wendy.

“It likely no longer exists…as it was the village I grew up in as a child. Based on the fact that the majority of the region was destroyed by dragons during the war…either it was forgotten about during reconstruction, or it has been altered and renamed after I left.” He was uncertain of which situation it was.

Now that he considered it, he was surprised Sun Village was still around. Then again, even during his childhood, that place had been far more well-known than Mildia. No one ever saw a citizen of that town outside of its borders, but people claimed that Sun Village was inhabited and governed almost like a separate country. Customs existed that could not be found anywhere else in Fiore, and people there worshipped their own deities that other people believed were nonexistent. While no one reported any details, they did say it was quite a secretive place. Whoever lived in Sun Village did not want their customs to become public knowledge, and somehow, they managed to instill enough fear into others to keep them silent about the truth behind the city. Maybe they had possessed a weapon capable of defending themselves against dragons. It would explain the irrational mix of fear and awe people had of Sun Village at the time, and it would explain how they still existed today.

Zeref felt Natsu grasp his shoulder tightly, nodding with a slight smile. “Well, why didn’t you just say so? I mean, if the place was destroyed by dragons, I doubt there would be much left to recognize. They tend to destroy things pretty well, especially if they’re anything like I am with my magic.” He rubbed the back of his head, laughing slightly in amusement at his own destructive tendencies.

“I wonder how much of it has regrown…most of the land there perished, after I…brought you back.” Zeref gazed at the ground, focusing on the cracks in the street. One seemed to jaggedly cut across the others, a lightning bolt crossing over three streaks that seemed to end somewhere towards his right. A pothole seemed to be the source of all of them, just a little ways closer to the station than where he stood. “Maybe…maybe you should see it. While you don’t remember anything…you were born in that place. I went to school there…” Zeref trailed off, shaking his head and slamming his eyes shut. The flash of people screaming in terror echoed in his ears. The halls of Mildian Magic Academy filled his eyes, with his focus staying on his own pale palms. People around him were running, seeing others fall dead around him in an instant.

One of his hands lifted and gripped his hair tightly, as he clenched his teeth together. He tasted something metallic in his mouth, and he felt moisture and a slight sting on his tongue. Apparently, he had bitten through it, but the pain was enough to snap himself out of the memory. “No…I can’t go back…I can’t kill them again…” His voice was layered with fear as he stumbled back slightly, practically running into Jackson as he tripped over some broken piece of building that had yet to be picked up during reconstruction. 

With wide eyes, Zeref jumped up and teleported away in an instant, appearing just before the doors of the train station and away from the intersection where the others had gathered. The pounding in his head came suddenly, and it violently and jaggedly tore through his body as he hunched over. With the metallic taste already fading from his mouth, black shadows exploded from his body. Tears were falling down his cheeks, as he realized he had been wrong before, when he thought he was doing better. There were still so many contradictions in his mind, and this was always the price he had to pay for them. Death and destruction was his legacy, and nothing would ever be able to change that, not even Karma itself.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Returning to the guild hall, Zeref still felt conflicted over what to do next. Jackson had stated that he could let them off with a warning, since no real damage had been done. He had left not long after Zeref lost control of his magic, allowing the wizards to return their focus to the task at hand. However, the black wizard was still quiet and withdrawn, unable to speak more about his thoughts without causing an outburst of magic. His expression bore a continuous frown on their journey back to Fairy Tail, guilt weighing heavily on his shoulders and almost making him feel ill. Part of him wished to discuss things with Natsu, as he was the only person who had received a brief insight into the workings of his own mind during times like this. However, he had realized at Oshibana Station that doing so would unravel his mind further.

Writing usually calmed his mind, but he wondered why speaking did not do the same. Perhaps it was because of his distrust of the world. It made him feel uncomfortable every time he spoke of his past. Discussion on magic and the principles behind various spells were simple for him. While they might reveal his knowledge of darker subjects, they revealed nothing about who he was or where he had been. Even discussions about his curse were simple enough. It was a topic relating to magic, and so long as he analyzed it from a logical perspective, there were no repercussions. Once the subject strayed into his actual past, be it the source of his curse or any other moment, his mind seemed to freeze and grow silent on what to say. Feelings clouded his judgment, and his thoughts strayed into dangerous territory, debating if he was speaking with someone he trusted as a friend, or if he should continue viewing that individual as a pawn. If he viewed them as a pawn, information about his past was not going to strengthen their allegiance in any form, so it would be unneeded. If he conceded that they were a friend, while he may wish to discuss this with them, his curse would react before he had the chance to speak.

Oddly enough, Natsu had not pushed for answers. The dragon slayer seemed to realize that Zeref couldn’t speak much further about the matter after the outburst of his curse earlier. As they walked into the guild hall, Natsu was uncharacteristically silent. His brow was furrowed and he was frowning, as if he was attempting to puzzle something out. Likely, the boy was trying to determine what was so troubling to Zeref about his hometown.

People waved as they walked back in, before returning to their usual activities. Cana was taunting Macao and Wakaba, grinning as she attempted to challenge them to a drinking contest. Lisanna was carrying Happy in her arms, talking to Levy in a quiet table away from the others. Elfman, Erza, and Gray sat together, laughing about some joke that had just been stated. Across from them, Laxus rose to his feet with the Thunder Legion to get some space from the other wizards. Alzack and Bisca were talking to Lucy, but the celestial wizard soon left to head to the counter. She sat down before Mira, ordering a drink of some kind and taking a sip as Zeref walked into Fairy Tail.

“I’m going to go find Charle. I want to tell her about how I’ve finally managed to cast one of the secret arts Grandeeney taught me!” With that, Wendy ran off into the guild in search of her companion. Natsu stayed by his side as Zeref slowly made his way over to the counter as well. While he had not noticed it before, he now saw Mavis sitting on the counter itself, with her legs dangling over the edge. She was swinging them happily in front of her, smiling as she observed the guild going about their usual day. Sitting in a seat next to her was Makarov, four seats down from where Lucy had settled in.

Standing in between Makarov and Lucy, Zeref stared over the counter towards Mira as the elderly man turned towards him. “Ah, I’ve been waiting for you to return. I suppose you want to hear what Cana and I discovered while we were away.” That made Zeref pause, frowning slightly as he tilted his head. What had Makarov been doing again? With everything going on, he couldn’t quite recall what had been going on with the man seated at the counter.

Spotting his look, Mira smiled and giggled. “You forgot, didn’t you? I kind of assumed so when you didn’t ask any of us what happened during our research trips either. Considering the circumstances, it is rather understandable, though.” That made Zeref frown at her as well, seeing her clasp her hands together on the counter. “We were all researching your curse, remember? I went to Bosco with Erza, and Makarov and Cana were on Tenrou Island. Since I heard rumors going around that you already found your own cure of some kind, I didn’t think it was important to say that I didn’t really find anything helpful.” 

That was what Zeref needed. He had completely forgotten that the others had been away, looking into his curse. Due to the unlikeliness of success, he supposed he had just not been all that invested in hearing the results of such searches. By his side, Mavis smiled and laughed at the widening of Zeref’s eyes, and the way his frown faded away with his lips just slightly parted in surprise. “See! I told you he would forget. Makarov says Tenrou Island is just like I remember it, Zeref. The library is still there and everything. I wanna go return and read all my favorite books again! Please, can we start our search for Karma there?” Her green eyes widened, pleading with the black wizard to say yes.

“There wasn’t anything of value there, First.” Makarov sighed and shook his head. “Nothing but ruins, I’m afraid. While I did find a few interesting books, nothing detailed a method of curing your curse. Based on what I’ve heard from the others, no one else had much luck either.”

Smiling, Mira rubbed the back of her head and closed her eyes. “Yeah, I’m sorry to say that Erza and I only ended up going in circles in Bosco. They have a lot of issues in the classifications of spells…almost anything listed as an enchantment is also listed as a curse over there…it made for a lot of pointless reading and eventually I decided it wasn’t worth the time when nothing seemed to provide new information.”

“Well, at least you found something on curses.” Lucy joined in the conversation, turning to face them with a smile. “In Oak Town, we couldn’t find a single book on them. Not even something as minor as a curse to change someone’s appearance was there.”

Shrugging, Zeref sat down between them while Natsu stood over his shoulder. “That was to be expected. Fiore’s magic council banned all books pertaining to curses nearly a century ago. However, I already found a starting place…according to a local law enforcement officer, there is a spell that could potentially cure me…if I surrender all of my magic along with my curse.”

“Wait, you can’t be serious!” Lucy stared at him with wide eyes. “Any wizard would die without their magic. That’s a vital part of our lives and even if it wasn’t…” She trailed off, glancing at the guild mark on the back of her hand. “Magic is what makes us who we are. I couldn’t imagine surrendering this gift for anything…all of my spirits, they are my closest friends and I wouldn’t give them up for the world.”

“Speaking of the magic council,” Mira interjected before Zeref could reply to Lucy’s comment. “I had almost forgotten, Lahar wanted me to give you a message. He was recalled back to Era to search for Jellal. Apparently, you’ve been deemed as a minor threat already, since they no longer think you’re Zeref. Since Lahar has been observing you for the past week, they think you are harmless. I guess they don’t realize you were unconscious for most of that time” She looked rather amused at that, but Zeref simply gazed down at the counter calmly. 

By his side, Makarov seemed to still be thinking about Zeref’s comment himself. “That is some good news, but I have to side with Lucy on your decision, Master. Despite the appeal, I do not think it is wise to surrender your talent so easily. Weren’t you known for being a prodigy, even before you gained your curse?”

Smiling, Zeref nodded slightly. However, he had to focus on counting his breaths for a moment, before his thoughts could get wrapped up in yet another memory. Inhaling slowly, Zeref calmed himself until his smile faded away, returning to a neutral expression before replying. “I suppose, however, that is a mild concern at the moment. I’ve paid a far greater price to maintain my magic, and if it must vanish away for me to end this suffering, then so be it. Perhaps this will destroy my very existence, but if that is the case, I will still have brought some measure of peace to this world, and to myself.”

Mavis’ swinging legs stilled and her smile faded. Her green eyes focused on Zeref, looking fierce and burning with an inner light. “That won’t happen. I won’t allow you to die before me, Zeref. It is unacceptable, for either of us to think of forfeiting our lives when we’ve already come so far.” 

“Yup, not to mention you’ve got other people around to help you out.” Natsu grinned and leaned closer. “I mean, you brought me back to life, so if you end up dying yourself, I guess I’ll just have to return the favor.” Then, he paused, frowning for a moment. “Wait…then I’d be cursed too! Would that make things better or worse? Damn-it, I don’t know! Mavis, what should I do if Zeref actually goes through with his plans for death?” He turned towards the girl, while Zeref remained speechless at his declaration. It was reckless and impulsive, but strangely, it sounded like something Natsu would do.

Sitting up straighter, Mavis placed her hands on her hips and gave Natsu the same expression she had given Zeref, filled with determination and a fire burning deep in her gaze. “If you are willing to risk the curse for Zeref, then my decision as Fairy Tail’s best tactician is…bring him back! We cannot succeed in ending the curse without a magic mastermind like Zeref. Therefore, if he is returned to life, we will ultimately find a way to free all three of us…and until then, we can journey together, and have adventures as we seek to destroy the darkness lingering in all of us!”

It was a passionate declaration, but too outlandish for Zeref to even take seriously. However, Natsu seemed to nod, eagerly leaning forward and giving Zeref a harsh look. “You hear that, Zeref? You die, and I’m just going to keep bringing you right on back. I’ll take on this god for you, if that’s what it takes, and if you lose that immortality, just consider me another version of it. Maybe I’m not smart like you about magic, but I am very persistent…plus, I’m sure Mavis could teach me how to do it!”

That seemed to make Mavis blink, waving her hands in front of herself. “Wait, I never said that! Zeref didn’t teach me how to create life, he only—“

“Nah, we’d figure it out.” Natsu grinned, confident in this plan as he cut her off. “After all, it’s for Zeref, right?”

With that, Mavis slowly began to nod, her former resolve returning. “Right. Desire can often overcome a difference in strength…in this case, it just may overcome a lack of knowledge as well.” Her gaze focused on Zeref, waiting for a response from the black wizard.

He barely managed to shake his head, his eyes wide with his mouth partially open for a few moments. As he stared between both of them, he slowly began to chuckle, running a hand through his hair. “I see…I suppose I cannot die, if I wish to protect my brother from the same suffering I’ve gone through.” That made the dragon slayer grin, patting his back before sitting down between Zeref and Lucy.

“So, what is this cure anyway? I mean, it has to be pretty unique, if you think you even have a chance of surviving after losing your magic.” Lucy gazed at him, leaning forward to see around Natsu’s seated form.

With his smile fading, Zeref focused on the counter. “Actually, I had hoped to ask you to come with us. Since the spell seems to have aspects of celestial magic in its design, I thought it might be helpful to have the aid of a celestial wizard.” That made Lucy’s brown eyes widen, her hands falling to rest flat on the counter.

“Really?” 

Nodding, Zeref idly began to trace the scratches in the counter in front of him. It kept his mind occupied, at least slightly, so he didn’t think too much about their path to Sun Village. “It is a spell known as Karma—“ 

Before he could continue on, Lucy gasped and shot up to her feet. “Wait…did you say Karma?” Unsure of where this was going, Zeref nodded once more. “But…that was just supposed to be a story…my mother told me, it was past down our family through generations…it stated that a boy cursed through karma would also be saved by karma…”

An odd way of phrasing it, Zeref noted, but accurate in a strange way. “It isn't entirely impossible that they were aware of my situation. I worked quite closely with Anna in the past…if she knew of Karma, then she could have attempted to ensure word reached my ears of the spell. Our relationship…it wasn’t always friendly, but I cannot say she hated me either.” Often times, it would depend on the day if they worked well together or not. She wanted the aid of his power, but she hated the way his curse affected the world.

“I guess it would kinda make sense that she knew about it. That Mustache guy said Lucy’s family did a lot with spirits in the past, so she probably should know about Karma.” Smiling over at Lucy, Natsu turned his head away from Zeref for a moment. “Anyways, I don’t get a lot about how its supposed to work, but Zeref says it will, so I believe him. I mean, I have yet to see him wrong about a spell before…and besides, dragons made this one, so it has to be strong.”

“How does that make any sense? Just because a dragon does something, it doesn’t mean that it was done correctly.” Lucy sounded exasperated with him, while Natsu shrugged and grinned towards Zeref.

“Well, Igneel was a dragon…and he didn’t really mess up that much.” Natsu paused, frowning as his gaze flickered towards the ceiling briefly. “Oh, wait…I forgot about the time he accidentally destroyed that mountain. But, in his defense it was supposed to just be a training exercise.” Seeing the confused glances of the others, Natsu sighed and leaned forward. “Right, Igneel took me out to practice my magic, specifically, my aim. Most of my spells were a bit wild back then, so he thought he could help me learn some control. I got kinda impatient when I kept failing…and I told Igneel that even he wasn’t good enough to hit the target.” There was a slight smile on his face as Natsu rubbed the back of his head. “I think he was just trying to make me feel better, to be honest. Igneel unleashed one of his usual roars towards the target he had set up for me…but it missed by a long-shot. Instead, it hit some hill off in the distance, and burned away the entire top half of it.”

Remaining silent, Zeref decided to let Lucy handle this one. “How does that help your argument? You’ve only proven my point, telling me about how dragons failed in the past.” Her hand rested on her hip, frowning towards the dragon slayer.

Pausing, Natsu glanced towards her, considering his next argument for a moment. “Huh, I guess I kinda did. But…have you ever met a dragon yourself?” That made Lucy blink at him, rolling her eyes.

“Of course not, you idiot. Dragons aren’t exactly common these days.”

Grinning, Natsu sat up straighter and slammed his fist on the counter. “Ha! That means I win.” The celestial wizard only blinked in confusion, her expression going blank as Natsu leaned forward. “Come on, between the two of us, I know a hell of a lot more about dragons than you do, Lucy. So, if you can’t tell me a time when you’ve heard a dragon do something wrong…then you can’t tell me they can’t do something right!”

The absurdity of his logic left Zeref shaking his head, sighing as Lucy stuttered and attempted to retort something in her own defense. “This is a pointless argument. Regardless of if it functions or not, I need to know if you intend on joining us or not. We have quite a journey to our destination, and I would like to leave as soon as possible.” Looking towards him, Lucy stopped stuttering and slowly began to smile.

“Sure. After all, you’re going to need an accomplished wizard like myself to get you through all of this.” She sounded confident in her skill, though there was an almost bragging tone to her voice that made Zeref’s lips turn downward ever so slightly.

Smiling brightly, Mavis hopped off of the counter and onto the floor, balancing herself for a moment as her feet hit the ground. Then, she turned around to face them with bright eyes. “Alright, it looks like we’re all together then! Come on, let’s go on an adventure together.” With that, she startled Zeref by reaching towards him, grabbing his arm and dragging him from his seat. Behind him, Lucy and Natsu shared a look before rising and joining them. As Mavis dragged him out of the guild, Zeref couldn’t help but wonder if his companions or his memories would drive him into insanity first.


	98. Forgotten Sacrifices

While the start of their travels were a bit troublesome, the actual train ride itself was no more problematic than usual. With the destruction of Oshibana Station, Zeref, Lucy, Mavis, and Zeref had been forced to walk to the nearest city to find transport to the northern regions of Fiore. That meant a three hour walk to Magnolia, where Lucy decided to stop for a brief time to visit the magic shop. Zeref never quite understood why woman loved shopping quite so much, but Mavis had been pleased for the chance to look at more modernized variations of spells she once knew. Even newer spells that focused on more superficial things like appearance would catch her attention at odd moments, making her test out various spells until the shopkeeper ordered them to buy something or get out.

With that diversion out of the way, the next issue had been selecting the train to travel on. He had not considered the seclusion of Sun Village in his decision to travel by train. The listing of destinations for this particular station didn’t appear to include that town, and further research into the brochures provided to organize road trips revealed that there were not even tracks placed that far north. The closest they could get to would be a city by the name of Lichtenburg, and even that was a ways away. 

Seeing it as their quickest option, Zeref and his companions found themselves on a brief train ride to Lichtenburg not long after arriving in Magnolia. The further away they got from Oshibana, the more quiet and withdrawn Zeref became. He allowed Lucy and Natsu to lead most of the conversations, while Mavis would occasionally jump in with her own comments. He could vaguely hear their laughter over jokes, but they didn’t stir him very far from his own thoughts. Zeref had done his best to use the train ride for meditation, and sounds of that nature would only disturb the peace within his own mind.

When they departed the train, Zeref silently took the lead away from the city. Lichtenburg was surprisingly large, considering the isolated area. Northern Fiore was known for containing many regions rich with wildlife, compared to other areas. Humanity had yet to spread and populate the land here, and the effort did not make it worth destroying nature to create man-made shelters. The mountainous land filled with trees and rivers made it difficult to build around natural landmarks, but Lichtenburg had managed.

The town itself seemed to have been built around the base of a massive mountain. Homes circled around the land mass in a circular fashion, while a few seemed to have actually been built into the side of the landscape. Green fields seemed to grow between each building, showing how nature still managed to cling to life even with so many homes around it. Streets were nothing more than dirt tossed over grass, and vehicles were no where to be seen. People crowded them, families staying together as they walked towards buildings marked as businesses. On occasion, they would pass by some merchant’s stand, set up to sell to visiting tourists. As the northern most city, Lichtenburg must have received many tourists simply due to location, and through no attractions of its own.

Much like in Magnolia, Lucy and Mavis stopped at most of the stalls in town, eagerly trying on jewelry offered by merchants and examining magic charms offered by others that claimed they could provide good luck. Looking almost as annoyed as Zeref felt, Natsu would stop and glare at them each time their journey was interrupted for sightseeing.

It took them days to get to Lichtenburg, and it took them hours after that just to get outside of the city’s borders. With all of the delays and the layout of the town, it had been difficult to navigate towards the way out. However, Lucy’s spirit Pyxis served as an excellent guide, allowing Zeref to be fairly confident that they were at least traveling North, though he could not say if they were getting any closer to Sun Village at this point.

“I wish we could have stayed longer.” Lucy began, crossing her arms over her chest as they walked. Clouds were beginning to cover the sky, dark gray in color. With a light breeze blowing around them and an open plain marking their path, Zeref wondered if a storm was about to begin. Shelter would be difficult to find at the moment, though the landscape could change at any second. “Lichtenburg had all kinds of stores. I could have shopped for ages.”

Sighing happily, Mavis nodded in agreement. “I know. That one shop had a charm that looked like a fairy!” Sparkles seemed to appear in her eyes as she squealed at the idea. Then, she seemed to calm herself and glance towards Zeref. “Still, I think I can wait to see the real thing. Zeref said we could go on an adventure to look for fairies ourselves once we end our curse.”

Frowning, Zeref tried to recall when he had made such a promise. The more he thought about it, the more he realized it did not matter too much. If it was Mavis’ desire to search for fairies, he saw no reason to not aid her. “Come on, you guys wasted our time! We are supposed to be looking for Karma.” Natsu grumbled out his complaint, scowling in irritation. “Besides…you aren’t really helping Zeref much right now. Giving him time to think isn’t good when he’s all moody like this.”

It was an odd observation, but as Zeref considered it, the more he began to agree with Natsu’s assessment. “If this is him being moody, I’d hate to see him in a normal mood. Honestly, he seems just fine if you ask me.” Lucy looked mildly irritated with Natsu, who frowned and stared at Zeref for a moment. Then, he began to shake his head in disagreement.

“Nah, he’s still upset about something. Dunno what it is, but it’s bugging him.” Scratching the back of his head, Natsu shrugged. “Whatever it was, he tried to tell me about it…unfortunately, I didn’t realize that meant his curse would act up for a bit.”

With her green eyes narrowing, Mavis turned her head towards him. “His curse acted up afterwords? That suggests a movement of his thoughts towards valuing life…is there something about Karma that he sympathizes with? It seems odd, considering it is an object and not a person.”

Staring at the open field they were walking through, Natsu shook his head. “Actually, he said he grew up somewhere around here. Zeref didn’t get to say much more.” His black eyes flickered towards Zeref with that, watching as the black wizard remained silent. Zeref could add more, but he was counting the clouds in the sky, despite how they seemed to merge together as one above his head. It made it so much more challenging to count, when he could not tell when one ended and another began.

“I don’t get why that’d make him so upset. Wouldn’t he be happy to be back? I mean, this place holds good memories, if they are from when he is a child.” Lucy seemed hesitant as she spoke, biting her lip as her brown eyes flickered towards Zeref.

Sensing their attempts to push him out of his silence, Zeref sighed. “It is complicated. Perhaps I was happy…however, this is also a place of great tragedy, and the dark in my past often overshadows the light. Part of me wishes to return and see it, however, another part of me fears just what I would remember if I visited once more.”

“I would return.” Mavis spoke quietly by his side, making Zeref pause and glance towards her. “Tenrou Island…in a way, you could say the same thing about my home. I grew up there…with Zera by my side. We were together always, reading books and walking around town after everyone else was gone…but at the same time, I was always alone.” Water seemed to pool in her green eyes, but it never overflowed. “My family died there…and looking back, I now see that Zera was only alive in my heart…living side by side with the fairies inside of me. However, I still love that place, because it is still my home and the pain is always worth the joy of remembering one of my closest friends.”

A drop of rain fell on Zeref’s cheek, making him glance up with a frown. “Is it worth it? Your recollections of Zera, you are not entirely to blame for that scenario. Stress, the dark wizards that attacked…even the Red Lizard Guild influenced you as a young child, leading to such a desperate state of mind to create your thought projection. However…I am to blame for the tragedy of this land. I had already witnessed the power that was beyond my control…yet I went to others for aid.” He trailed off, inhaling sharply as a stabbing pain shot through his temples. Pressing his hand to his forehead, Zeref grimaced and shook his head. “I apologize, it is becoming difficult for me to continue speaking about this subject.” Turning back towards the sky, Zeref turned to the only subject that came to mind at the moment. “It is raining.”

Another water droplet fell down, this time soaking into his robe around his shoulder. “Yeah, I guess it is.” Lucy held her hand out, letting the droplets fall on her palm as more joined. The area looked dark with the weather, and it seemed to have grown a bit chillier since the time they had left Lichtenburg. “I used to like playing in the rain. As a little girl, I’d try jumping in the puddles to make the largest splash…but then, my father would tell me to stop because it wasn’t a professional way to behave.”

Blinking, Natsu glanced up at her as Zeref simply hummed in response. “That’s stupid.” Lucy gave Natsu an odd look, before she shook her head and wrapped her arms around her stomach tightly. Before she could reply, the dragon slayer charged forward, jumping into the air and landing on the ground. With how little rain had fallen, however, the effect was lost. “See? It’s fun to play around in the water sometimes. It’s just a shame that there aren’t any good puddles around, right Luce?”

Lucy smiled at him. “Right.” With a brief nod, she continued walking past him, while Zeref continued to calm his thoughts. This time, he decided counting rain droplets would consume his mind. With the fact that many seemed to drop simultaneously on various spots on his body, it actually proved to be quite difficult. Each time he lost count, he would restart again to try and come up with a finalized total of rain drops. 

“Ooh! I think I see something, come on!” Mavis pointed at something in the distance, rushing off down a hill they had just managed to climb to the top of. The others ran after her eagerly, while Zeref stood in the back of the group rather than leading. They had already determined that this direction was north, however, he knew immediately at first sight that this place was not Sun Village. “I don’t think it’s our destination, but we can at least take shelter until the rain passes.”

Nodding in agreement, Natsu smirked at Mavis. “Sounds like a plan. Maybe there’ll be something in there about this village we’re looking for anyway. I mean, no one seems to know anything about it.”

Slowing his pace, Zeref stared at the approaching building with a strange feeling growing within him. It was almost akin to being numb, but a strange tingling seemed to settle over the skin on his arms. Walls of stone stood tall and proud, creating a rectangular building. White painted, wooden fencing stood in front of it, curving around in a circular shape around both sides of the pathway leading towards the door. Even before nearing the building, it was clear that the paint was fading away from the fencing. In places, posts seemed to have fallen over or gone missing.

Within the fencing, the area seemed oddly dark. The closer they got to the building, the less lively things seemed to be. Grass and weeds seemed to grow beneath their feet, but it was yellowed and sickly when compared to the lush green fields they had been in before. When Mavis reached out to pull on the handle of the door, Zeref grabbed her wrist to stop her. 

Seeing her frown and the question in her gaze, Zeref looked away and pushed her arm aside. “That is not the entrance.” Without another word, Zeref moved around to the side of the building, away from the path. There, drawn onto the wall in small, black markings was a magic circle. Pressing a palm to the image, Zeref closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.. “Welcome…to the Mildian Magic Academy.”

It was not difficult to activate the circle, but Zeref kept his eyes closed as he did so anyway. As his magic activated the runes, the circle began to glow with a faint golden light. In response, a golden circle began to illuminate on the ground at their feet, shining within the yellowed grass they stood upon. More magic filled the air and the circle around Zeref began to grow taller, the light more intense as it surrounded the wizards within. He heard Mavis let out a startled squeak, and he felt her move closer to him. Her hands pressed into his back, but he did not move an inch from where he stood.

With the light blinding them, no one likely saw what the magic was actually doing. Their figures faded away from the countryside surrounding the ancient school, and as the magic wore off, they found themselves standing in a darkened entryway. It was a wide open space, with lamps and torches placed nearby to allow for light upon entry. Natsu’s first reaction was to walk towards one of the walls where one was placed. He lit one with his magic, and held it out for everyone to get a look at where they now stood.

Inside, there was a rather rancid smell in the air. Zeref had noticed it immediately, but he did not comment about it. The room they stood in seemed empty enough, with pristine, white tile floors shining and reflecting the light of the torch back at them. While most places simply couldn’t craft such a material, the wizards studying here had taken it upon themselves to create it for one of the projects in classes focusing on maker magic. White stone had been used to create the initial shape of the tiles, then water users coated them with water. Keeping it in place, ice-make magic had been used to freeze the water between a layer of ice and stone. Normally, the temperature would have melted it and ruined the effect, but the project had been finalized with an enchantment of their own design, a magic circle placed on the bottom of each tile designed to cool the surface from within.

Further into the room, it opened up slightly and diverged. Towards the left were the hallways, leading to various classrooms that had been used for studying. To the right was another door, which led to a wider hallway lined with dorm rooms for students living within this place. The open area they stood in now was nearly empty of furniture, decorated solely by pictures on the walls. At first look, they could be viewed as decorative abstract art. However, Zeref knew that they were all pieces of spells, fragments of circles that students had theorized for various purposes. The intricate swirling lines were not always complete, but the concepts behind the writing was present and displayed to prove they academy’s progress in the world of magic.

Stepping closer to one of the walls, Zeref gently touched one of the frames. This one seemed to be a completed project, and he was tempted to activate the circle before him at the moment. “What the hell is in this place? It smells….” Natsu trailed off, glancing towards Zeref before narrowing his eyes. “It smells like something died in here.”

Closing his eyes, Zeref sighed and moved his hand closer to the edge of the circle in the frame. While this wasn’t his specialty in magic, so long as the circle had already been created, he could channel the energy necessary to activate its effects. With his hand touching the circle, more energy was poured into yet another circle, this time illuminating the design in a green light. It seemed to stream out from the circle and into the room, circling around the area and making Lucy and Mavis stare at it with wide eyes. “Wow…so many magic circles…just who made all of these anyway?” Lucy sounded awed, before frowning and sniffing the air. “Wait…I thought I smelled what Natsu smelled earlier, but now…is there a garden somewhere in here?”

The intention of the circle he had just activated had been to act as an air freshener of sorts. While it was a mild spell, the actual concepts behind designing it were quite complex. Essentially, the arrangement of particles in the air had to be altered in some form, or the people surrounding the room had to be tricked with illusions to smell something pleasant rather than something foul. This particular designed focused on altering the actual air, leaving the room now smelling like a flower garden. Lilac was the most prominent of the scents, at least to Zeref, and as even Natsu’s shoulders relaxed, he knew he had made the right decision in activating the dormant spell.

Looking over towards Lucy, Zeref frowned. “At one point, this place did have a garden of sorts, though it is no longer something worth seeing.” Nothing had been spared when he returned back then. “As for the creators of these circles…this was a school for wizards, long ago. Places like this no longer exist today. People no longer see the value in developing great minds in magic, and they have forgotten the true foundations of the spells they use today. Progress is now slow, and advancements like the ones that were once made in this place are nonexistent, as focus turned from education to regaining wealth and safety after the war.”

Stepping forward, Natsu observed Zeref quietly. “So, this was one of the places you wanted to avoid, wasn’t it?”

Nodding quietly, Zeref dropped his hand from the wall and let his hands rest by his side. The soft fabric of his robes brushed against his palms, but he ignored the sensation. Joining Natsu, Mavis frowned at him. “Well, it seems rather strange to me. Why couldn’t we use the front door like normal people, Zeref? I mean, it seems like the polite thing to do.”

“Opening that door would have triggered a safety precaution put in place quite some time ago.” That made Mavis blink, her green eyes wide. “Essentially, the intruders would be placed under a massive illusion spell…entering that door would make you believe you were falling down and endless pit. Last I recall, it usually took students approximately two days to discover someone trapped in that spell, so it was quite an experience for the victims.”

“That’s awful. I mean, I get that people play pranks when they’re young, but that is just taking things way too far.” Lucy joined them, crossing her arms over her chest. “Those poor people were probably traumatized because of that spell. Someone should have taken it down!”

Narrowing his eyes, Zeref glared back at her. “That spell was a way of giving the people of this place some small measure of peace.” 

Before he could continue, Lucy interrupted yet again. “Peace? Well, I’d say that’s some messed up version of finding peace. You can’t just let kids do whatever they want, even if it makes them feel better. You need to think of others sometimes, and not just yourself.” 

With his eyes flashing red, Zeref began to stare Lucy down. “Then consider their lives forfeit, for in times of war, thinking of others will only result in death.” That made Lucy flinch, staring at his eyes with her glare fading away. Instead, her eyes were wide, leaning back as her lips parted slightly, their edges turned down and her arm lifted almost protectively near her chin. 

A hand touched his arm, making Zeref glance towards Natsu by his side. The dragon slayer was watching him carefully, and after taking a deep breath, Zeref placed a hand to his forehead. His eyes shut slightly, and after a moment, he let them open again. They had returned to their usual color, but Lucy was still keeping her distance. “This entire place was designed to prevent intruders from destroying us…we were students, wizards, at this academy…but a more accurate term for us would be soldiers-in-training. Our abilities were the front line of defense against the dragons, so most of our time was spent enchanting our own school to ensure that no one, be they human, dragon, or some other form of creature, could enter.”

“So, which of the protection spells did you make?” Mavis asked her question with a smile, folding her arms behind her back. There was a bright look in her eyes, as if she were simply trying to distract him for the moment.

Glancing at her, Zeref smiled slightly and shook his head. “I…I can’t recall. Perhaps I didn’t make any…most of my time here, I spent in my room on my own projects. The instructors didn’t approve of my work, and others didn’t seem interested when I began speaking of what I was researching.” In fact, the other students would give him a wide berth after hearing that he wished to resurrect the dead. It was such a morbid subject, and all wizards knew it was forbidden even then.

Moving towards the classrooms, Lucy smiled. “Well, I guess let’s go exploring while we wait. I mean, Zeref may have been here, but I’m sure things have—“ Before she could continue taking another step towards the hall, Zeref shot to his feet, rushing to grab her arm before she could push open the door towards the hallway. His hand barely managed to grasp her arm, just as she pulled it open and revealed what was inside. However, her gaze was staring at Zeref, and not at the hall where his eyes had landed.

All of the protection spells designed to ward off intruders had resulted in this. Mildian Magic Academy was a fortress in its own right. The front door was one layer of defense. Another was a special enchantment that worked much like Freed’s magic, around the entire building. It sensed for magical energy, and would activate as soon as someone with unusual energy entered, be it a non-wizard or a dragon. That spell was a simple teleportation trap, moving the intruder from the academy to the main street of Mildia instead. Added into that were multiple fake entrances, similar in design to the one Zeref had activated. Unless a wizard truly understood what they were reading, they would activate spells that were used for misdirection and illusion, rather than teleportation. Essentially, the entire place was simply testing the skill of a wizard just to gain entry, and after losing so many lives during the war, no one had trusted magic enough to attempt to gain access to the school again.

Zeref’s arm had gone limp, his eyes blank and his body numb. Before him were the familiar halls of the school, but lying within was nothing but destruction. Corpses littered the ground, in various stages of decay. Some had been destroyed to the point where there was nothing but bones, but a few seemed to still have flesh on them, rotting away from the ravages of time. Pests could not enter due to the same protections warding off others, so at least they had not been influenced by outside animals. Wrapped around each body was a familiar uniform, one Zeref had not seen in years. White robes with simple black sashes were draped across each body, some of them more loose than others depending on how far gone each body was.

Rolling her eyes, Lucy waved a hand in front of Zeref’s face. “Alright, nice joke, now stop it. I get it, you guys were just trying to protect yourself with those spells, but you don’t have to pretend to be affected by one of them to mess with me.” 

“Lucy, shut the door.” Natsu’s voice was harsh, approaching and standing between the girl and the hallway. Turning towards him, Lucy frowned and tried to see behind him. However, Natsu moved closer to her, blocking the majority of her vision. “Let go of it, and let the door close.”

A bit dazed, Lucy’s arm dropped and the door slammed shut on its own. Zeref heard the sound, and it made him flinch slightly. However, he still did not move from where he stood. The arm that had been grabbing Lucy’s arm had fallen to his side limply, his gaze distant as he felt Natsu grab him by his shoulder and drag him back. They passed by Mavis on their way, whose smile had vanished. Her eyes were wide, filled with tears, and her gaze was locked on Zeref as he was dragged away from the hall.

He felt Natsu push against his shoulders, the pressure forcing Zeref’s knees to bend. He sunk to the floor, still not quite seeing the world in front of him. Walls blurred as the past mixed with the present, memories of students rushing through the halls interweaving with the reality of Natsu, Mavis, and Lucy kneeling before him. “Hey…Zeref, calm down. I mean, it’s not like this is really going to help anyone, right? They died, and none of us can really be upset about it. You can just stand back up, and move forward rather than thinking about…whatever happened here.”

Inhaling a deep, ragged breath, Zeref’s shoulders began shaking slightly. “They died…yet no one found them. I had always thought…perhaps I shouldn’t have fled, but the wards weren’t impossible to break through. With some time and effort, someone should have gotten in.” His gaze flickered over to the hall, while Lucy bit her lip nervously.

“Sorry, did I miss something? Why are you talking about dead people?” She glanced towards the door, looking almost ready to move back, but Mavis grabbed her wrist and shook her head.

With his hands clenching into fists in his lap, Zeref’s head fell forward with his chin resting against his chest. “No…we simply weren’t important to them. They only valued power, and as the war came to an end, no one remembered the names of those that had perished serving others. We wished to defend something, be it ourselves or our families, and all we received in return was a forgotten legacy. I was remembered…but their tragedies were never even realized.” 

Leaning down in front of him, Mavis’ gaze was steadily focusing on the top of his head, despite the fact that he would not glance up to look at any of them. “This is not your fault, Zeref. You told me yourself, it is nearly impossible to completely control Ankhseram’s Curse. If it hadn’t been for you…if you hadn’t been there to pull me out of my misery, I never would have had the strength to move forward. Please, let me do the same for you…let me help you see that this isn’t the tragedy you think it is.”

Slowly, his gaze lifted to meet hers. “Four hundred years…these corpses have been here for four hundred years.” That made her lips part slightly, a gasp escaping her briefly. Then, she quickly slammed her mouth shut again, biting her lip as if she could take back her initial shock. “I killed them, in my desperation to find someone to tell me what was wrong with me. Mildian Magic Academy was an impenetrable fortress, but no one ever considered an enemy living within its walls. No one realized that our greatest weakness…was the trust we placed in each other.” Gazing down at his hands, Zeref frowned. “I lost count of how many I killed…and I had only been cursed for five hours. You had time to come to terms with what was occurring…only one had to die for you to accept what had happened. An entire city’s worth of innocents had to perish for me to accept the truth…and the guilt forced me to accept that the only peace available was the peace my peers had found. However, I had been forced away from that path, cast aside from humanity and the only reprieve I was worthy of receiving…the only way I could atone for my actions, by joining those I had slain.”

The trembling had traveled from his shoulders to his hands. His fingers seemed to twitch on occasion, and at the sight of that, Zeref closed them back into fists and hid them within the folds of his robe. As he observed them, he saw another hand stretch across his lap, grasping his own slender fingers within an even smaller hand. Mavis was leaning forward, giving him a small smile with a pained look in her eyes. “That won’t make anything better. Those students…you said they all had something to protect. They had families and friends…and more importantly, they had this place. All they wanted to do was defend what they cared for. Right now…there’s only one person around who even knows what any of them wanted to have done in the world. If you die…no one would manage to fulfill their dreams, Zeref. No one would defend this place, or the ideals they once had here.”

Her words made Zeref pause, the trembling slowing down ever so slightly. “Dying would not atone for anything. All it would do is make your friends sad…Natsu, Lucy…me, we’d all miss you so much. Maybe we were only joking before, but…I don’t know what I’d do without you. So…even if you weren’t friends with them, even if you didn’t value their lives…atone for taking them away by living those lives for them. Protect what you care about Zeref, just as they would have done. Defend this school, and what remains of their dreams.”

Slowly, Zeref twisted his hand to grasp Mavis’ in return. She gave him a slight squeeze, her green eyes still calmly focused on his own. At some point during her speech, tears had begun falling from her cheeks. Lifting his free hand, Zeref caught one on his finger, wiping it away and letting out a deep breath. “This school wasn’t what they wished to protect…all they wished for was peace.” Smiling, Zeref finally felt his own tears begin to join Mavis’. “They were just like me…wishing for an end to suffering. If only I had realized sooner, just what the price was…perhaps we could have found a far more peaceful place to live out our lives.”

Leaning forward, Zeref let his head fall into her lap. Startled, Mavis lifted her hands and glanced up at the others. Lucy stepped back, shaking her head with a slight smirk. “I’m going to let you handle this one. I don’t quite get what is going on here…but, I think you’ve got it covered.” With that, she moved to inspect the circles hung around the walls. “Come on, Natsu. Give them some space.” The dragon slayer had been watching with a frown, but at her request, he nodded and began moving away.

“Alright…but you better listen to Mavis. Her way of seeing this stuff is far better than yours, if you ask me.” As Natsu moved to join Lucy, he heard Mavis let out a small sigh. Despite the risks of being close to her right now, he needed some form of comfort. He felt her hand rest against the side of his head, gently rubbing his skin before she moved on to brushing aside his hair. Her other hand moved to rest on his shoulder, while Zeref curled up on his side, hiding his tears from the others by keeping his head buried into the skirt of her dress. That was where he remained until the rain stopped, signaling the time to continue moving forward on their journey. As soon as he had Karma in his grasp, all of this suffering would finally be over. For the first time since he began on this path, Zeref began to feel certain that this was the cure he deserved. Death wasn’t his only option. He found himself oddly looking forward to the new life he would possess, one in which he would be living for others and holding up the dreams of forgotten people who had perished long ago.


	99. A Warm Welcome

Back outside of the Mildian Magic Academy, Zeref continued moving towards the north. With the landmark nearby, he no longer needed aid in knowing which direction to go. The ground was wet, making sloshing sounds as his feet sunk partially into the dirt in spots. As a result of the walking, water somehow managed to enter his shoes, leaving his feet wet. The sensation made him frown at first, observing Mavis’ carefree attitude as they walked. She had been humming under her breath, practically skipping through the place with bare feet. That girl had no qualms about the moisture, but Zeref found it rather uncomfortable. Perhaps it was the water combined with shoes that did so, but he did not pause to remove his footwear or to question why it was different for her.

“So, if that’s where you went to school, where was your home?” Lucy smiled over at him, looking curious as they moved forward. Currently, trees had begun to become more prevalent in the landscape. There weren’t quite enough to consider it a forest, however, they were getting more clustered the further they went. Eventually, Zeref knew they would arrive into a denser region of trees that would take about a half-hour to pass through before arriving at Sun Village, a town that existed in the clearing of that region.

Focusing on their path, Zeref shrugged. “A little ways away from there. While Mildian Magic Academy was named for my village…it actually was constructed miles away from Mildia. They had hoped that the distance would protect the village, should the school attract unwanted attention from the enemies we faced during the war.” Ironic, that it had been the village that was attacked, rather than the school. The thought made Zeref smile slightly in grim amusement.

“That isn’t a terrible strategy, however the flaw was in their naming of the school.” Mavis smiled as she moved to walk closer to Zeref’s side. “It connected it to Mildia, and allowed for others to realize the town was important as well as the school.”

“From what I’ve heard, dragons held little value in the school, actually.” Zeref glanced towards his right, seeing Mavis watching him. Just a little bit behind him, Natsu was doing the same. “It was built in an area that already held little life in terms of animals, so the dragons did not see it as a decent area for hunting. Most of the varieties of species were plants of some form, allowing it to be a place that served as an excellent landscape for practicing plant magic, and for gathering ingredients to study for crafting potions. Certain herbs hold magic better than others, and each will have a different effect when combined together. While I never studied the subject in depth, I did help gather ingredients at times for the school.”

“Well, I guess that makes sense. Still, I don’t get why your village was more interesting to them than that place. I mean, wouldn’t the area still be the same?” Natsu sounded confused, watching Zeref smile slightly, though it wasn’t a pleasant look. 

He turned towards Natsu, tilting his head slightly. “Have you not noticed how quickly the scenery changes around here? Northern Fiore is known for this ever-changing landscape. Walking for simply a few minutes could transport you from an open plain, to a dense forest, and then to a massive city. Traversing this area was actually quite difficult, especially considering there are a few mountain ranges cutting across the region. As for Mildia…wildlife was more plentiful around there. It was why the village was far more populated than the school, due to more resources allowing for more life to survive. As wizards, the students of the academy managed to obtain sources of food quite easily with magic, transporting ourselves to locations where we could find it, but others did not possess the ability to do so. Humans still created civilizations around places where food and water were readily available as a result, since transportation systems were not nearly as advanced as they are today.”

He didn’t mention that the majority of life the dragons were searching for were humans. During the war, many of them saw humans as a delicacy, a trophy to show off to the others if they managed to consume one. People were the ones who sought out animals, and in places like the farm he grew up on, vegetables were grown to sustain others. The nearby stream had been vital to the decision for people to build Mildia, despite the fact that it had been inhabited by dragons. Originally, there had been peace between the two races. It was understood that humans would not hunt nearly enough to impede too much on a dragon’s diet, and in order to compromise, the people there had agreed to grow as much of their food as possible. That was why almost all of the land in Mildia was used for farming, though the fields had likely burned away after the attack centuries ago.

When the war began, dragons left the area to fight for the side they believed in. Mildia was forgotten about as larger hunting grounds became the focus for battles. “I guess this area is a lot different than back in Oshibana. It’s kind of a nice change, seeing what things are like so far away from home.” Lucy smiled and glanced over at Natsu. “Maybe it’s just me, though. I never really traveled much growing up. I bet you’ve seen all kinds of interesting places.”

Frowning, Natsu seemed to pause for a moment. His head tilted backward slightly, before he shook his head. “Nah, not really. I wasn’t really focused on where I was. Most of my traveling was done searching for Igneel. Kinda hard to focus on the landscape when you keep looking for a massive dragon…” He rubbed the back of his head. “I probably should have realized he wasn’t in some of those places sooner, to be honest.”

Blinking, Lucy’s smile faded slightly and she wrapped an arm around her body, grasping her left arm and pulling it against her side. “Oh, right. Sorry…I didn’t mean to bring back bad memories. I know you just lost him and it’s been hard.” Zeref tried to stay silent, though he felt a bit of a weight settle in his chest. Despite the fact that he had earned Natsu’s forgiveness, he still blamed himself for that tragedy.

Glancing at her, Natsu gave the celestial wizard a half-smile. “Don’t worry about it. You didn’t mean to do anything…and besides, it’s not all bad.” His gaze turned distant, his arms folding behind his head as he gazed up at the clouds. In the distance behind them, darker ones from the storm that had just passed through remained, but above them, lighter clouds remained. “Some of those places had some interesting people to meet. While we never were friends for long, I did manage to hang out with some people at times…and it did keep me focused on my future, just like Igneel told me to do when I was sad.”

It was an odd logic, one that would not work for everyone. Zeref knew that thinking of his future would only make his mind more unstable, but the dragon slayer didn’t comment about it. “Well, I’m glad you can still stay happy about it. Even now, when I think about my mother…” Lucy bit her lip, shaking her head slightly. “I guess I can still smile sometimes, but I almost always end up crying. I guess I’m kind of pathetic, aren’t I?”

She gave Natsu a weak smile, wiping away her cheeks slightly. Watching her, Natsu stopped walking and stared at her for a moment. His black eyes seemed to study her, while Zeref paused to wait for them to continue moving. The dragon slayer’s head tilted slightly, before he gave her a grin. “You know, you’re kind of weird Lucy.” That made the celestial wizard freeze, her smile vanishing as her eyes widened and blinked at him in surprise. “I mean, what kind of person calls themselves pathetic? If you think you’re weak, just focus on getting stronger. Kind of odd that you’d just give up so easily on yourself…but if you need a training partner, count me in.” 

Blinking, Lucy stared at him and held her hands up, waving them adamantly towards him. “That’s not what I meant! I didn’t…I wasn’t talking about my magic…I just…” she stuttered a bit, trying to explain herself. Before she could manage it, Natsu's grin widened and he stepped closer. His arm draped over her shoulders, making the girl self-consciously hunch over. Her body seemed to shrink against him, but Natsu didn’t seem to notice.

“I’m not taking no for an answer. You and I, we’re going on a training mission when we finish helping Zeref. I’m going to make you strong, Lucy.” His gaze turned only slightly more serious, focusing on the girl by his side who was still trapped in his grip. “Besides, I don’t have a whole lot on my mind to do in my future…so I need something new to focus on, a new future to talk about that will become my will to live. Why not make it you?” 

Zeref wanted to smack Natsu for his obliviousness. Based on the innocent smile on his face and the way he gave Lucy a toothy grin, the boy didn’t even realize what he had stated. The celestial wizard’s cheeks turned red, her gaze avoiding Natsu’s at first. If he had pushed her to a discomfort level where she left, Zeref would no longer be able to discuss matters with the spirits if Sun Village proved to be a dead end. “I…um…” Lucy hesitated for a moment, trying to formulate a response. After a moment, her gaze turned back towards Natsu, nodding slightly and giving him a smile. “Right. Sounds like a plan, but first, we’ve got a spell to hunt down.”

“If it helps, I do not think Natsu meant his words in the way you are imagining, Lucy.” Zeref’s calm comment made her glance towards him, rubbing the back of her head and laughing nervously.

“Yeah, like I’d ever consider…erm…” Her gaze flickered over to Natsu who was frowning at Zeref, his arms crossing over his chest as he released the celestial wizard.

Stepping closer to Zeref, Natsu tilted his head slightly. “Huh? What do you mean? I didn’t say anything mean, did I?” He glanced towards Lucy, smelling the air slightly around her as he leaned close. “You don’t seem mad…what did I do?”

Smiling slightly, Zeref shook his head and glanced towards Mavis. The first guild master was watching them just as he was, smiling at their actions. “You’ll figure it out one day, Natsu. Just…I’d suggest considering your words a bit more carefully. Some comments tend to be misinterpreted quite easily.” Zeref’s advice only seemed to confuse the boy further, who turned towards Mavis for answers.

Laughing, Mavis shook her head and patted Natsu’s arm gently. “Like Zeref said, you’ll figure it out one day.” She echoed Zeref’s previous comment lightly. “Besides, I’m sure you two will have a lot of fun on your journey…there is nothing better than a new mission to get your mind off of a tragedy in your past.” Zeref hoped that was the case, but either way, Lucy seemed to have recovered enough to keep walking. They moved forward once more, with a bewildered dragon slayer in tow. 

For the next half-hour, Natsu wouldn’t stop asking everyone to explain what he had done. At first, he had tried with Zeref. Those attempts did not last long. “Wait, why am I asking you? I mean, no one is better at keeping secrets than you…so, Mavis! You tell me what I did. I mean, you already figured it out, so why can’t I learn about it today, rather than sometime later? I’ll probably forget about it by then!” That was how he had transferred his complaints to another, and it left them all feeling mildly irritated, yet amused at the same time.

His whining continued even as they ventured into the thin forest surrounding Sun Village. Natsu would not stop pestering Mavis, and with each question, Zeref was considering yelling at the boy. Pestering himself was fine, he was used to far worse, but Mavis did not deserve to deal with his antics. However, Mavis seemed to make a game out of it for the dragon slayer. “Take a guess, Natsu. I might decide to tell you if you’re right.” She had said it cheerfully, quickly hopping over a fallen tree to follow after Zeref.

Seeing it as a challenge, Natsu had grinned. “Sounds like a plan. Alright…so…hmmm..” He thought for a moment, before focusing on Mavis with a smile. “I shouldn’t have called her weird!”

Rolling her eyes, Lucy joined in for once. “If that’s the only thing you see as wrong with your comments, you are even more oblivious than I thought. Just…don’t worry about it, okay? It’s not that bad, anyway.” 

Narrowing his eyes, Natsu scowled. “Come on, even you won’t tell me what I did? This isn’t fair. I mean, how will I know what not to do again?”

This time, Lucy closed her eyes and gave a smile that looked far more like a grimace than a pleasant look. “Just drop it, alright? The more you talk about it, the more I think about it…and right now, I just want to focus on getting to Sun Village and moving on.”

With his scowl fading, Natsu stared at her for a moment. Slowly, he nodded and glanced away. “Whatever. Just don’t complain if I…wait a second, you weren’t even upset. Why was I worried again?”

Sighing, Zeref shook his head. “Your logic never ceases to amaze me, Natsu. However, we should be nearing the village now.” Pushing aside a half-broken tree branch, Zeref ducked beneath it to continue on. The others followed suit, and this time, Lucy and Natsu focused a bit more on their surroundings rather than Natsu’s lack of social knowledge. 

“Something smells weird around here…” Natsu sniffed the air again, as if to confirm what he was smelling. However, he stopped and tilted his head slightly instead. “What is that noise? Sounds like something big is nearby. Kinda reminds me of what Igneel’s footsteps sounded like from a distance, but this sounds even larger than that.”

That gave Zeref pause, glancing towards Natsu with his brows furrowed. “What kind of creature is larger than a dragon?”

“I don’t know, but I guess we’re going to find out, right?” Mavis smiled brightly, looking excited as she stepped in front of them, stopping and turning to face everyone. “If it comes down to a fight, just follow my lead. I may not be an expert on all of your skills…but I understand enough for us to get through this conflict unharmed.”

Even after living as long as he had, Zeref did not know of a single creature that should be larger than a fully-grown dragon. This would be an interesting adventure, to see just what Sun Village had created to scare off intruders so long ago. As the trees began thinning out once more, Zeref made sure Lucy and Natsu were in the back of their group. If anyone was going to survive an attack by a mysterious creature, it would be one of the immortal wizards leading them towards this mysterious enemy.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Even from a distance, Zeref saw that the mysterious Sun Village was unusual. At the edge of the thin forest, he could see the buildings rising just slightly away from where they stood. They towered over everything in the landscape, managing to be even taller than the trees of the forest around them. Each aspect of the buildings had been scaled in proportion to that height, making them even wider than they were tall. As he neared the town, the buildings seemed even larger than they had in the distance.

The street was wider than usual as well. Lining both sides were rows of buildings, each making Zeref gaze upward to see the tops of them. At first, he saw no sign of the noise Natsu heard before. It made the hair on his arms stand on edge, warily observing everything for signs of movement. 

Not far from the entrance of the town, more streets could be seen, set up just as this one was. Each of them seemed to be built onto the side of a hill of some form, climbing upward to the center of town. From one of those streets, a slight pounding noise echoed. This was the sound Natsu must have heard. Glancing towards the dragon slayer, Zeref saw him crouching down, preparing to attack as well. Lucy’s hand went to her keyring, grasping one of the golden ones in her hand. 

By his side, Mavis kept her gaze steady, her arms resting by her side as she waited. “Wait. First, we must see what we are facing before we can properly come up with a strategy for battle.”

The sound repeated itself, this time making Zeref wonder how he did not feel the ground shaking. At his feet, it seemed to be sturdily constructed stone streets. Towards the houses, he narrowed his gaze at white, circular drawings. Someone had placed magic on the ground itself, and while he was not close enough to inspect the circle, he had a feeling it was the reason for the lack of vibration running through the ground itself.

More of the same sound echoed around them, this time coming from other directions. Having already stopped, they made no progress forward in the town. However, others were moving. Stepping into the intersection, a massive person came into view. Zeref’s eyes widened at the sight, seeing a fairly human figure towering over all of them. With graying hair hanging long over his shoulders and a gruff mustache, the man looked rather average. However, it was difficult to see any more features about his face considering the man’s height. Another step resulted in another echo, leaving Zeref realizing just what was going on.

He had always thought they were just myths, creatures like this. “Giants…Sun Village, the reason no one discussed anything about it…they were afraid of the giants.” Even in the past, he had heard people laughing over the possibility of giants existing. People simply couldn’t grow that tall, so those tales were deemed as children’s stories for nothing but amusement.

“They don’t even see us…” Lucy trailed off, staring as more began passing through. They all had their own destinations in mind, and Zeref saw how a few would stop and talk with each other in the street. Much like average people, others moved to walk around gathered groups. “I guess it makes sense…to them, we must be as small as ants are to us.”

Watching them, Mavis nodded in agreement. “None of them look down…they do not see those smaller than them as a threat.” Her conclusion had some validity, though Zeref contributed it to a lack of visitors. No one these days knew about Sun Village, so the appeal of visiting had vanished over time. “The best strategy for now is to move as if they are not here. Do not be seen, and we will manage to search this town for signs of Karma before we are confronted.”

Following her advice, Zeref slowly began moving forward. Carefully watching the path of the giants, he walked between them as they moved on their way. It didn’t make him feel any more comfortable, knowing it would be quite easy for any of them to be stepped on in an instant. One of them came awfully close to his body, making him jump aside quickly to avoid their feet. It was more of a challenge than he had expected, however, as he moved on, Natsu’s eyes widened and he began to pick up his pace.

Seeing the boy’s reaction, Zeref let the dragon slayer take the lead. “That smell…it can’t be…” Natsu continued following after his nose through the streets. “Zeref, are you sure that Acnologia was the last dragon around?”

Realizing why Natsu’s demeanor had changed so suddenly, Zeref nodded. “The war destroyed nearly all of them. Those that remained…you are already aware of what they did.”

“Well…I think you’re wrong.” That was not unheard of, but incredibly rare. “I didn’t notice it before because I was too focused on the weird-smelling giants. But…there’s a dragon here too. It smells a lot like Igneel actually, though it has something else mixed in that I can’t quite place…” He trailed off with a frown, jumping aside as another giant stepped through the street.

When the woman had passed, Natsu continued on, his gaze still focused on the path ahead of them. “If we’re looking for a treasure connected to dragons, either way, this is worth checking out.” He didn’t bother explaining anything further. Instead, he began moving quickly through the streets. As someone trained to battle against all forms of monsters, it wasn’t surprising to see Natsu’s ability to maneuver around the walking giants.

Sighing, Zeref followed after him. He wasn’t used to having so many worries about physical injury, but this time, he imagined it would be quite painful in comparison to other damages he could sustain. While he wasn’t quite as agile as Natsu, he was skilled enough at controlling his actions that he could move around the long legs of the giants. His pace was slower, however, and the motion was unfamiliar to him, forcing him to concentrate more than usual on how he moved. Just a little bit behind him was Mavis, actually smiling slightly as she practically danced around the giants. She hummed under her breath as she did so, treating it like a game rather than a dangerous situation.

Lagging behind everyone was Lucy, who kept shrieking every time a giant’s foot slammed into the ground by her side. She would make staggered progress, moving forward a few steps before stopping as a walking giant crossed her path. Each giant startled her and seemed to make her more agitated. 

Taking another step forward, Zeref noted how the street was inclining far more sharply than before. It made the walk a bit more tiresome, and he could see Lucy breathing hard from the fast-paced dodging combined with the walk. “Can we slow down or something? I feel like my legs are going to fall off…” She stopped for a moment, leaning forward and sighing as she rubbed her legs. The girl’s complaints would not get her much of anywhere, but Mavis still stopped and smiled over at her. 

As she moved to help the celestial wizard, Mavis suddenly seemed to tumble forward, falling with a gasp. Her hands moved in front of her, attempting to break her fall. Watching, Zeref rushed to help stop her fall, but he did not move fast enough. Her palms scraped against the rock streets, and she grimaced as her head lifted. “Ouch…” She whined slightly, before her green eyes landed on Zeref. “Something…there’s something on my ankle…”

Kneeling on the ground by her side, Zeref nodded and quickly scanned the area by her legs. Something was affecting her, though he did not know what. His frown deepened as he spotted something red wrapped around her ankle, proving this to be more than just her imagination. “Blondie…two blondies…” A voice came from between two of the massive homes of the giants, leaving Zeref’s gaze narrowing towards the shadows created. By his side, Lucy’s gaze harshened and her hand went to her hip, where her keys rested. “It isn’t nice to intrude upon someone else’s home…if you are here for our flame, I will stop you.”

“Flame?” Zeref spotted the girl, approaching with long red hair stretching from around her head. Half of it was still braided, resting on her shoulder, however, the other half appeared to have unwoven itself. It was stretching further than the other half of her head, moving to wrap around Mavis’ ankle. Dressed in a dark red dress with a plunging v-neck and a slit on the side rising to her ankle, the girl tilted her head and smiled at them.

Stopping her walking, Flare’s hair seemed to lose some of its excessive length. Mavis shrieked in surprise as her body was dragged along the ground and lifted into the air, held up by the opposing wizard’s hair. “Don’t play dumb with me. Outsiders never come to our village…unless there is some treasure you wish to steal. I will protect it until my last breath, and so will my friends here.” Her hands spread wide, gesturing to the giants walking about.

Having noticed the pause of his companions, Natsu finally turned to catch up with Mavis, Lucy, and Zeref in the street. Since he was not close enough, Zeref was still the one left to converse with the girl, along with Lucy. “The only treasure I seek is that of an ancient spell, not that of a flame. If I wished for fire…I have a companion that could certainly provide me with that element quite readily.” His gaze flickered over his shoulder towards the dragon slayer, who was making decent progress.

“Besides, he isn’t lying!” Lucy looked determined, gazing into the red-haired wizard’s eyes. “I haven’t been in his guild for long, but I know Zeref doesn’t lie. Whatever this treasure of yours is, you can keep it. We just want to find our spell and leave.”

When she said that, the rest of the woman’s red hair began to unweave and a smile formed on her face. “Is that what you think, Blondie?” Her head tilted and she began to giggle. “I guess I get to play with two blondies today…”

It was interesting to watch, Zeref had to admit. This was a strange form of magic, and this girl seemed to have mastered it already. His gaze remained impassive as a strand wrapped around Lucy’s ankle, just as it had done around Mavis. Shrieking, Lucy was flipped backward into the air, dangling upside down by a strand of the girl’s hair. “Please…I don’t know what this fire is you are protecting, but we don’t want to harm it.” Mavis was begging the girl, who only laughed at her words.

“Ooh, I like that sound! Beg, Blondie, beg me for the pain to stop!” With that, Mavis began to gasp, grimacing and letting out a pained cry. Getting far more of his attention than before, Zeref’s eyes narrowed, staring at the ends of the red hair. This time, the tips held an odd glow, much like fire, as it pressed into Mavis’ skin. Stepping forward, Zeref touched the end of it with his palm, feeling the heat singe his own skin in return. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you…no one controls my hair but me, and if you attempt to steal it away, you’ll only get burned.”

Flipping his already-healed hand towards her, Zeref shook his head. “Burns mean nothing. Hurting Mavis, however, means everything. If you wish for me to remain calm…I suggest releasing her.” Strategically, this wasn’t the best move, but he wasn’t too concerned with thinking about strategy at the moment.

With her smile fading, the girl tilted her head. “Angry? Am I supposed to be afraid?” Her red eyes flickered towards Mavis, before smiling wickedly. More strands of hair flew from around her head, away from Lucy and towards Mavis instead. “If that’s how you feel, let me just show you what happens to intruders who come for the Eternal Flame!”

The ends of her hair were flaming, leaving Mavis struggling slightly where she was hanging. She swayed in the air as she did so, and with a frown, she stopped and focused her gaze on the incoming attack. As the hair circled around and approached her, Mavis bucked slightly, forcing herself to sway away from the attack at first. On her way back, she curled herself into a ball, just barely sliding above the hair.

Glaring at her, the girl altered her attack and turned it around. Without realizing the full extent of the opposing wizard’s manipulation of her hair, Mavis didn’t realize another attack was coming. From behind her, the hair slammed into her back and made her cry out again. Flames licked at her skin, and her green eyes flickered towards Zeref for a moment. The black wizard saw the pained look in those eyes, and the desperation. Feeling something begin to burn within himself, he stepped forward towards the girl. Behind him, approaching footsteps told him Natsu was coming, but he didn’t care. This girl had hurt Mavis, and he was not in a forgiving mood.

Blinking, Flare observed Zeref calmly for a moment with a frown. Then, it grew into a disturbing grin. “Eyes…red eyes…how interesting. Yes, show me anger…I will destroy you completely.” 

“Red eyes, red hair, it makes no difference. These things do not define us…however, we are more similar than you may think.” With a harsh glare, Zeref grabbed the girl’s hair in his palm, ignoring the heat eating away at his skin even as it healed. “You claim to have something to protect…since you’ve harmed that which I value, why should I not do the same to you? Flames are quite fragile…and while I am no water wizard, conjuring enough to provide harm to fire would still be within my power.”

A dark smile flickered across his face, but Natsu smacked his arm for his comment. “Hey, now’s not the time for that crap, Zeref! Focus on what the hell is happening, and don’t let that curse of yours take control” Blinking, Zeref turned to see flames dancing in Natsu’s palms. “I get how you feel. She hurt your friend…and she’s doing the same thing to Lucy.” Staring at the other girl, Zeref only now noticed the flames around her ankle, and the cries of pains from her joining Mavis’. “We’re still going to do this together, and we aren’t going to kill anyone, got it?”

“Kill…kill me?” Laughing, the girl spread her arms wide and shook her head. “I am Flare Corona of Sun Village, and I will not be killed by the likes of you. No…the ones who will be dying today…will be you.”

Glancing towards Natsu, Zeref frowned. “Are you so sure that this is the best idea? Holding back is not my forte…and she seems quite intent on killing us regardless of what I do.”

“Yeah, I figured that out already.” With a grin, Natsu stepped forward to the strand that was holding Lucy. “But that doesn’t mean we need to do the same. Who cares if she’s stopping us from finding Karma? We’re still going to—“

Blinking, Flare watched them and took a step back at that name. “Karma?” Her hand lifted to her chin, staring at them before her expression hardened. Her hair lifted behind her head, wilding curling around and preparing to attack. “I had thought you were after the Eternal Flame…but Karma is even worse. I don’t know what made you think to look for that object here, but this will be your stopping point on that search. Play time is over, Blondies, it is time to die.”

The flames seemed to intensify around both of them, making their shrieks turn into screams. Hearing that, Zeref’s grip on the one strand of her hair tightened, pulling on it harshly. Flare stumbled towards him, lifting her head and scowling. “This hair was a gift to me from the Eternal Flame! I will not let you harm it.” Another strand of hair snaked out, wrapping around his waist and pulling him away from Mavis.

“Hair…” Lucy frowned slightly, squirming and reaching towards her hip. “I know! Open, Gate of the Giant Crab, Cancer!” With a loud bell echoing around them, a new spirit appeared. With a human-like form and crab arms growing from his back, he looked rather skilled. However, the weapon he wielded appeared to be scissors, lessening the effect.

“What can I do for you, baby?” 

Grimacing, Lucy struggled yet again within Flare’s hair. “I think this chick is in need of a serious haircut. Make it hurt, Cancer.”

Approaching, the spirit became a blur, dashing around Flare with his scissors flashing. Her hands lifted to try and cover her hair from the spirit, but it has little use. In a brief moment, both girls were released. Falling to the ground, they both plopped on their backs. Sitting up, Mavis quickly worked on unraveling the strands still clinging to her ankles, while Lucy grinned and gave her spirit a thumbs up. “I styled it extra short for you, ebi!”

“Nice work, Cancer. Now, let’s—“

“My hair…” Flare stared down at the strands, before her gaze lifted to stare at Lucy. In an instant, what remained on her head grew, the length extending and creating whip-like strands that spun around her head. “My precious hair! No one harms it, I shall destroy you for cutting it, Blondie!”

With that, Flare’s hair went flying towards Lucy, attempting to lash out against her rather than capture her once more. Stepping into the path of the hair, Natsu glared and lifted a flaming fist towards the strands. Spotting the fire, Flare stopped and observed the dragon slayer for a moment, who smirked at her. “You touch Lucy and I’ll burn all that hair of yours to a crisp.”

Blinking at him, Lucy smiled slightly in relief at the sight of the dragon slayer. As Natsu stood his ground, Flare’s hair retreated slightly with a grimace on her face. “Karma isn’t a toy! I will…I have to stop you.” She didn’t sound quite as confident as before, but her determination had not gone away.

With that, her hair fanned out around her, watching them closely. The length increased even further, and with a smile, she tilted her head. “I guess this will have to be goodbye, then.” It was an odd opinion, considering Zeref and his companions had the upper hand. However, at that moment, stray hands of hair broke off from her head, flying towards them. Flames danced along the strands, bursting into explosions around them and causing Zeref’s skin to burn in the heat. He heard Lucy groan slightly, though her arms lifted to at least protect her face from the onslaught. Seeing Mavis getting caught in the storm, Zeref moved towards her side, grasping her hand and squeezing it slightly as she grimaced in pain.

Near Lucy, Natsu had opened his mouth. While it wasn’t solely fire, Zeref did have to admit that it was the element Flare’s magic focused on. The dragon slayer was swallowing the flames created by the explosions, and taking in the hair with it. “Oh man…this is gross!” After the fire dissipated, Natsu patted his belly with one hand, wiping away at his mouth with the others. “Why did you have to ruin perfectly good flames with that hair of yours?”

With her smile vanishing, Flare took a step back in fear. “You…you ate me hair? How…but you were supposed to fall. I am more powerful, I have to be…” She stared at all of them, her hands lifted as she seemed to debate her next attack.

Beside him, Mavis stepped forward and gazed calmly at Flare. “As I see it, you are no match for the four of us. While your spells are powerful, we have more experience and we are not fighting alone. That gives us the upper hand in battle.” Falling to her legs in defeat, Flare stares up at them and closes her eyes.

“Alone…I guess I can’t repay them today.” With a slight smile, her gaze flickered upward. “Bruho! Intruders, alert the others!” Her shout was louder than expected, and it made Zeref spin around to see the giant standing behind them. For the first time since arriving, a giant actually turned to stare at the ground. This time, they were all spotted, and no one among them quite knew how to fight against a giant.


	100. Birth of the Eternal Flame

Reacting immediately, Mavis rushed in front of them and held her hands out. Light began to fill her palms, as she focused her gaze on the giant before them. “From the stars of heaven, fly thee down, holy guardian beast. Heavenly wolf!” It had been years since Zeref had seen Mavis’ illusions, but unlike his first time witnessing her magic, this was no pleasant sight to behold. A massive wolf, nearly matching the giant in height, stood behind her. Around the creature, an aura of golden light seemed to shroud the beast while sweat beaded on Mavis’ skin. “I will deal with this. Quickly, find the path Natsu mentioned before.”

As the giant seemed to crouch down to look them in their eyes, Zeref couldn’t tear his gaze away from her. Despite her immortality, Zeref knew she was not nearly as familiar with pain as he was. While Natsu and Lucy seemed to take a step away, they stopped and noticed Zeref’s frozen form. His hand lifted slightly, reaching towards her before he pulled back, grimacing and closing his eyes. With his teeth clenching tightly together, he gave Mavis a slight nod and turned towards the others. She would survive. If he kept that in mind, he could keep moving forward.

Taking a step away from the giant, Zeref thought things would go well. Now that he was moving to follow them, Lucy and Natsu picked up the pace. Flare moved, however, running to prevent their escape. Her hair flared out again, lashing out towards Natsu and Lucy. Startled by the sudden attack, both were knocked down to the ground by the whip-like motion of her red hair. “You aren’t getting away. I may not be able to defeat you…but I won’t let you destroy my home!”

“Cornello…” A deep, gravelly voice spoke from behind Zeref, making him frown. “It can’t be…too many years have passed. Yet…you look just like him.” The giant’s gaze was focused on Zeref. He was kneeling down, his face far closer to the ground and more visible to Zeref. With gray hair and a long, unkempt beard, this man appeared to be older than some of the others Zeref had seen. Bruho’s eyes were a deep chocolate brown, and while a few wrinkles creased his forehead, the rest of his face seemed clear of similar blemishes. “Tell me, why do you look like my old friend?”

Glaring at him, Flare stepped around Lucy and Natsu to stand by the giant’s side. “Bruho, these are intruders. They came to steal the Eternal Flame…I’m certain of it.” Her gaze turned dark, glaring at Zeref. “I doubt they have any connection to the great wizards that saved our village.”

Narrowing his gaze, the giant seemed to think about it further. Meanwhile, Zeref frowned himself, tilting his head slightly. “I’m sorry…years have rendered my memories rather faded and hard to access. Do you have a specific timeframe in mind, or a more specific name? I cannot say I recall a Cornello…” His brow furrowed, trying to recall anyone important by that name. He had done too much, however, and whoever it had been had faded away to the back recesses of his mind.

Bruho’s gaze slid over towards Natsu, scratching his beard slightly as he observed them. “And you…if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were the spitting image of Leonora. That pink hair, I’ve never known anyone else to have anything quite like it. That was why Cornello said he was first attracted to her, I guess.” A slight smile formed on his face, before he sighed and shook his head. “It has been a few centuries, I think, since I last spoke to them. Do humans live that long anymore?”

That may have explained a bit more, though that far back, memories were even more hard to recall. Closing his eyes, Zeref pressed a hand to his forehead and scowled. Slowly, his fingers began to weave within his bangs, grasping it while he slowly shook his head. “Not commonly, however…for the time being, let’s just say I am different from most of humanity. Tell me, do most giants live that long?” 

Laughing, Bruho thumped down onto the ground and sat before them. By his side, Flare scowled and crossed her arms over her chest. “Flare, you’ve found some good ones this time! I like this man, he knows all the right questions to ask.” Unsure of what he had said, Zeref only blinked at the man and nodded. “Most giants live for about six hundred years or so, unless some other ailment comes to claim them first. I’ve still got another good century left in me, so don’t go around calling me old yet. Back then, I was young though…Cornello Dragneel came into town with his wife and—“

“Dragneel?” Natsu interrupted, butting in and staring up at the giant’s face. “Wait…then Zeref does know that guy!” He flashed a grin towards the black wizard, whose expression had stilled and gone blank. His back stiffened and his hands fell to his sides. Blood drained from his face as he lifted his gaze to meet the brown eyes of the giant, who raised an eyebrow at the dragon slayer.

“Stop listening to their lies! Can’t you tell that they have invaded our home?” Flare was still attempting to prevent this conversation, but it was far too late for that. Flashes of memories were dancing in Zeref’s mind at the mention of Cornello’s full name. Much like with Natsu, he had failed to recognize two more important names to his past. A chill entered his body, making the hairs on his arms rise as he shivered at the thought. He had not even remembered the names of his own parents.

Gently patting Flare’s back, the giant smiled and shook his head. “These people seem like good folks to me. Don’t let that paranoia of yours let you run astray, Flare. Why don’t you try hearing them out first?”

“But they mentioned Karma too! Don’t you find that even more suspicious, mentioning that spell when he looks so much like Cornello?”

Shrugging, the giant’s gaze focused on Zeref who hesitated, glancing towards the others. Mavis let her illusion fade away, joining him. Standing by his side, she seemed to pause in silence for a moment, before stretching onto her toes to attempt and whisper into his ear. “Based on my calculations, we actually are not going to be capable of defeating him in battle. Appeasing them through conversation may be our best option…even if it means revealing just who you are to these people they once knew.”

Pulling back, her green eyes seemed to be pleading with him to listen. Watching her, Zeref slowly sighed, rubbing the back of his head and turning back towards the two facing them. “It has been so long…sometimes, I wonder just how much I’ve forgotten, before I realize how ridiculous such a sentiment is. How can I truly miss something I cannot even remember? How can I account for that which I can not recall? An endless puzzle with no solution…yet, one would think some names would be engraved within our very psyche, so much so that no amount of time could break them free. While I may not match your race in terms of age, considering I am merely a human, I can be considered ancient. Living for so long…it becomes quite apparent that this isn’t the case, that no memories are able to escape the fading passage of time.”

His gaze turned distant, focusing on a building in the distance rather than anyone present. “You claim an age you do not appear to possess.” The giant’s calm observation made Zeref smile faintly, though he did not move beyond the lifting of the corners of his mouth. 

“You would not be the first to assume youth based on my appearance alone.” That only made the giant frown again, though Zeref finally turned to look him in the eye once more. “However, you would be incorrect. My name is Zeref Dragneel…and I am the son of Cornello and Leonora Dragneel. If anyone should be explaining their connection to him…I’d say that would be you, Bruho.”

A slight gasp came from Flare, whose perpetually wide eyes locked onto him. “Son…? But, that would mean you’re—“

“Four hundred years old.” Bruho finished, leaning forward with a grim look. “Now that I look closer at you, I can see it even more.” His gaze flickered towards Natsu, nodding at the boy. “I’m guessing you’re their other child. When they came, Leonora was with child, and I’m assuming things went well afterwords.”

Watching the dragon slayer closely, Zeref began to nod. Natsu only frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. “Wait…even Natsu is that old?” From behind them, Lucy looked stunned and her gaze would not leave the back of Natsu’s head.

Shaking his head, Zeref was about to refute that claim. However, he paused and bit his lip, tilting his head slightly. “It depends on how you define age, I suppose. He was born four hundred years ago…however, he has not lived through four hundred years worth of time.”

The celestial wizard only blinked as Bruho sighed and ran a hand over the top of his head. Gazing at it now, Zeref noticed that the top his his head was actually bald, though the white strands of hair hanging down over his shoulders clung to the sides and back of his head tightly. “Cornello’s son…I know they said they had one, but he had been young, and they had not wished to drag him into the war back then.”

Considering how little mention there had been of the war as he grew up, Zeref was not surprised. “You claimed they were great wizards. I find it odd, considering neither of them showed any inclination towards magic.” He could not even remember his parents attempting to cast a spell. The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed. However, he could vaguely remember a brief time when he had been sent to stay with another family in town. He had spent his time there just as he did at home, sitting and reading. Beyond that, he could not recall what else he had done until his parents returned.

“Ah, yes. That was a tragedy, dragging them down with us at the time. Back then, the two of them had been brilliant minds in the magical world…they had been trying to leave that world, however, when they began to start a family of their own.” Bruho focused on Zeref, smiling slightly. “Before you were born, they stopped by Sun Village all the time. Consulting with us on various spells, working side by side with our people…they were always welcome in town. We were good friends and allies, and when the war began to pick up, we agreed that we would train each other to fight against such creatures. Together, we formed an alliance of sorts between us and a small faction of dragons. However…Cornello and Leonora were always the one to communicate messages between our races. Despite how much we learned, and despite their efforts…the alliance disbanded after long. However, we did contribute much into the world of dragon slaying magic…rumored spells far stronger than usual ones, known as secret arts, were developed as a result of their work combined with the dragons.”

Blinking, Natsu glanced towards Zeref with a raised eyebrow. “Sounds impressive. Since when were our parents dragon slayers?”

“They weren’t.” Zeref replied calmly, his gaze dropping slightly as he crossed his arms over his chest. Something seemed odd about the picture the giant was painting. Despite the lack of solid memories, he simply couldn’t imagine his parents actively participating in the war.

Nodding, Bruho placed his hands on his knees. “You are correct. They were not dragon slayers…Cornello was skilled in telepathy. He could manipulate the mind of any opponent, and as he confused and muddled their thoughts, Leonora would strike with her more subtle gift of empathy. Not only could she sense their emotions, she could alter them to whatever she wished them to be. A fight could quickly diffuse into a friendly gathering if they wished, and as partners, they were unstoppable.” It sounded a bit overpowered, having total control over the mental and emotional state of any opponent. Perhaps there was something to be said of their skill, especially with how subtle those magics could be.

“As interesting as this may be, I do believe we have other things to deal with.” Mavis spoke from beside Zeref, making the black wizard hesitate. He bit his lip, staring at Bruho who raised an eyebrow at the girl. “We are searching for a spell known as Karma. If you have not heard of it, we must be on our way.”

Her single-minded focus on their goal was admirable, but Zeref couldn’t bring himself to smile at her objection. Bruho looked grave, frowning at her and then turning back towards Zeref. “Karma, you say? Well, perhaps my story has more validity than you might think.” Mavis’s eyes widened, flashing towards Zeref who simply frowned. Natsu grinned at the idea, looking eager to hear more, while Lucy bit her lip and focused on Zeref.

“As I was saying, Cornello and Leonora contributed much to the world of magic. After they left, things turned for the worse for our village. Rumors spread of dragons approaching from the Southeast, coming to claim Sun Village as their own. Desperate for help, we gave a message to a traveler who had come visiting from Mildian Magic Academy. A former instructor of theirs, actually, though that detail hardly matters anymore. We sent a plea for help, begging them to return and aid us against the dragons threatening our home.”

“It took longer than expected for a response, but they did still come. They explained that their dreams of having a family had been realized, and that they would leave as soon as they had finished gathering our former allies. We worked tirelessly together on trying to locate where this fragment of the dragon race had ended up, using magic spells of all kinds. Both giants and your parents worked side by side to locate them through these methods, but none of us succeeded. Despite the advancements both of our cultures had made in magic…it proved incapable of surpassing the power of the dragons.”

“The attack came, just as brutal as we had predicted. Despite the power of Leonora and Cornello, they could only focus on so many before exhaustion overtook them. Our own wizards fought as well, trying to hold off as many wizards as possible. Desperate for help, Cornello tried reaching out with his telepathy to his former allies. Usually, distance impedes such communication—“

“I know.” Zeref didn’t need an explanation of concepts he already knew. Telepathy weakened over great distances, and eventually, it would be rendered completely ineffective if too much space was put between the connected minds.

Smiling, Bruho nodded. “You take after him in more ways than one, I see. Regardless, we had all assumed his attempt had failed. One dragon, a monstrous beast with brilliant red scales, speckled with black, appeared before the others laying siege to Sun Village. Within his talons, he held a crystalline symbol of doom for us all. While I never got close enough to see any details, I was in town to join the others as the Red Fog unleashed itself within the streets. We grew weak and weary, our bodies reacting quickly to the substance in the air. Even Cornello and Leonora seemed affected, and it worried us for we knew we had put both her and her child at risk.”

His smile had vanished, and he looked grave as he turned his gaze upward towards the sky. “With the haze, our magic left us. You see, history seems to forget that we were once one of the great magical races, filled with that energy in our veins and able to fight alongside the greatest of wizards. Now, we are nothing…ever since the night of the Red Fog, not a single giant has possessed the ability to utilize even the smallest of spells. We work hard through manual labor, and we form strong community bonds. In a way, I think we’ve gained more as a result of our loss. We learned to work together, and our culture was born from the ashes of our destruction.”

Smiling at him, Lucy stepped forward and shook her head. “You aren’t nothing, Bruho. This place is amazing…your entire village is filled with happy people, and you all seem to manage to get so much done, even without that power. If anything, I think you are right about the benefits of what happened back then. I’ve only been here for a few minutes, but I can already tell that you guys are amazing.” Zeref didn’t know if she truly felt that way, or if she was afraid of insulting them by saying something rude. 

“I appreciate the sentiment, however, that wasn’t the end of our battle.” Weakening an enemy was only the first step. While Mavis was the strategist, he had made enough dark plans of his own to understand that basic concept. “The dragons struck again, this time while we were powerless to defend ourselves. We had not recovered from the loss of our magic, and Cornello and Leonora seemed to be taking it harder than most of the others. They claimed that they had been hoping to help their son learn magic. He had shown an interest in it lately, and while they had hoped to hide him from the war, they also did not wish to leave him defenseless when battle came for him.” There was a glint in the giant’s eyes as he gazed at Zeref. Fidgeting with the edges of his robe, Zeref glanced away and avoided the look.

“The turning point came when we were at our lowest. So many had already perished, and the dragons seemed intent on wiping us out entirely. We thought it was over when reinforcements arrived for the dragons…but then, they began fighting amongst themselves. Cutting through them all, however, was our true savior. We watched in awe as a blazing fireball seemed to swallow away the rest of the beasts, terrifying them away and stealing away their mighty weapon that had pushed us so low. It crashed atop of our mountain, landing in the wake of destruction and illuminating the night as the rest of the beasts either fled in terror, or burned away into destruction from the might of the most powerful flame in existence. That fireball that burned so brightly before…it still burns to this very day, watching over our village and protecting our lives.”

As the one least invested in this tale, Lucy seemed to be far more talkative than the others within their group. “Wait, it is still burning?” Her eyes were wide, seeing the giant nod with a smile. Then, Lucy blinked and gazed over towards Flare. “Still burning…Eternal Flame…now I get it. You thought we were trying to steal your protector, didn’t you?”

The red haired wizard nodded, her hair relaxing and braiding itself over her shoulders. “We need that flame. It means everything to us…and these people took me in when I had nothing. I have to repay them somehow…” Flare looked conflicted, while Bruho only shook his head. 

“You are always welcome here, Flare. By now, you should know that you are a part of our family, a proud member of the Giant Clan.”

Smiling, Flare nodded and turned back towards the others. “Karma isn’t mentioned a lot around here. It is bad luck…but, if you wish to pray to the Eternal Flame for luck on your journey, I can guide you to its location as an apology for my actions earlier. I shouldn’t have…” Flare grabbed her arm carefully, avoiding their gazes. “You weren’t thieves, and you weren’t attacking us. Still, I harmed all of you, in my false assumption of your motives.”

Grinning, Natsu clapped a hand on her shoulder. The girl jerked back, flinching from the contact. The dragon slayer paid her no mind, still smiling brightly. “Sounds great, Flare! Just lead the way, I’m all for seeing this fire hot enough to kill a ton of dragons at once.”

“Natsu…it is highly improbable that this is a normal fire.” Mavis watched the boy shrug, moving forward anyway.

“Who cares? There’s still a chance that this is related to Karma. It was here, years ago. Bruho just told us about it, and if it was here…that means someone knows where it went.” With that, his grin turned into an eager smirk. Facing Zeref, Natsu offered him a hand, making the black wizard blink and frown at his brother. “So, what do you say? Are you ready to go find this fire and figure out what the hell managed to steal away the magic from not only our parents, but also this entire village?”

Eyeing the boy carefully, Zeref slowly nodded. While he didn’t take Natsu’s outstretched hand, he did begin walking after Flare, moving deeper into Sun Village. As he did so, Zeref couldn’t help but wonder how Karma effected families for generations. If it had happened so long ago, the giants should have recovered from the spell by now. Newborns should have the capability for magic, yet none did. However, gazing at the back of Natsu’s head, Zeref noted another inconsistency. If it stole away the magic from even one’s future descendants, Natsu should never have been capable of being a wizard. Smiling, Zeref wondered if perhaps he had been able to give the boy that chance. A combination of demonic energy and the enchantment of a dragon had allowed Natsu to have the power he gained today, and in a way, it made his rebirth just as miraculous as it had been tragic.


	101. Desperate Pleas

Arriving at the Eternal Flame, Zeref wasn't surprised to see it standing atop of a pedestal in the center of the city. Any reconstruction had been done with this fire in mind, idolizing it in a way by lifting it so high within the town. Homes had been built away from the fire, to give it space to burn brightly throughout the days and nights. Four pathways seemed to lead into the circular area that had been cleared away for the Eternal Flame. After rising to the top of a set of stairs, he noticed the brilliant orange and yellow ball of flames eating away at nothing on the ground. Standing on solid stone, it seemed absurd that it could continue burning without fuel, but it disregarded the laws of nature in that aspect.

Stepping closer, Natsu began sniffing the air carefully around the flames. Meanwhile, Lucy gasped in surprise. “It really is here…” She trailed off, keeping her distance as the heat warmed the area. By her side, Mavis observed the flames calmly. Her eyes scanned the sight, her head tilting slightly to gaze at the top of the flames. There, they gave a more yellow hue, before transforming into smoke in the gently breeze. 

“This place really is magical…I can see why the giants worship this flame so much.” She smiled and stepped closer, her bare feet tapping against the ground before halting just beside Zeref. “What do you think? Is there something here that can help?”

Studying the flames, Zeref frowned for a moment. He could sense what Mavis was describing, a hum of magic in the air surrounding this place. It was weak, having faded over time, but the power was still present. Closer to the flames, the energy seemed to grow. The fire itself seemed to eat away at that power, though it continued to replenish itself in an almost endless cycle. This fire, it was more than just a spell. It acted much like an enchantment, and it was not something that he felt like working on deciphering. 

While Zeref continued pondering the energy he sensed, Natsu turned to answer her question instead. “It smells like a dragon here. I wanna eat those flames to see if he’s in there.” Jerking a thumb towards the fire, Natsu turned with a grin and began to open his mouth. At that moment, Lucy yanked on his arm, making the dragon slayer stumble back slightly. 

“Don’t do that! You’ll destroy the Eternal Flame if you do that, you idiot.” Crossing her arms over her chest, Lucy seemed to be daring Natsu to challenge her with her gaze.

Scowling, Natsu leaned closer to her. “Oh yeah? Well, how do you suppose we get the dragon out of that fire then?”

“I don’t because there isn’t a freaking dragon hiding in a fire that’s been burning for four hundred years!” Her shout made Natsu pause, frowning back at the fire and shaking his head.

“Well, how else do you explain the smell? That fire smells like a dragon, so there has to be one inside!”

Smacking a hand to her forehead, Lucy groaned. “Come on, do I really have to explain this to you? Even if it wasn’t insane, just how could a dragon, a humongous reptilian creature, hide itself in a flame of that size? We would see some part of it already, so clearly, there is no dragon inside of the fire.”

“Maybe, but the only way to be sure is if I eat the fire! Come on, Luce, it smells like it’s really tasty…” Natsu whined this time, pleading with her to let him eat some. As he did so, Flare positioned herself between him and the Eternal Flame with a scowl.

“Threaten our sacred treasure again…and I just might decide to have some more fun with Blondie over here!” Flare pointed towards Lucy, who leaned back away from her.

“Wait, why am I the one getting punished? He’s the one that wanted to eat it!” 

Sighing, Zeref shook his head at both of them. “You are both correct. There is no dragon inside of the flames…however, there is a dragon here.” That seemed to make everyone stare at the black wizard in shock, their eyes wide.

“Where?” Flare’s eyes darted to the sky, searching for an enemy. “We must prepare for an attack. Would any of you be willing to help defend Sun Village?”

Smiling, Zeref tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at her. “I thought you disliked the idea of harming your deity.” That made Flare pause, turning towards the fire with a frown. “There is more to this than meets the eye…in essence, this fire is no simple flame. Rather, the fire itself is the dragon Natsu smells…that magical aura is too distinctive for it to belong to anything else.”

Inside, Zeref sensed something more, but he did not say anything about it to them. Glancing towards Lucy, Zeref watched as the girl took a hesitant step away from the flames with wide eyes. “A…dragon? How is a dragon on fire? I mean…don’t they have some kind of resistance to that stuff?”

“Well, duh. They’re dragons, their scales aren’t just for show, Luce.” Natsu rolled his eyes at her, staring at the fire with a grin. “This one is special, I just know it.”

“What this dragon is capable of is not our concern. Lucy…would you be willing to summon Loke for a moment? I do believe I will require his assistance soon.” Zeref stepped closer to the flames, gazing into their dark depths to spot anything of use. However, he saw nothing but swirls of orange and red, mixing with smoke that made him cough slightly as the wind blew it in his direction. Covering his eyes, Zeref attempted to prevent them from watering even further from the smell.

Feeling a hand pull him back, Zeref glanced over his shoulder to see Mavis smiling at him. “You sensed it too, didn’t you? The power within…there is something more than just the dragon here. However…I can’t quite see it either.” She frowned, squinting slightly from a distance to peer into the flames just as he did.

Nodding, Zeref’s black eyes flickered towards Lucy. She pulled out one of her keys, looking determined as she thrust it before her. “Open, Gate of the Lion, Leo!”

With that, the celestial spirit manifested before them. “My master calls, for the first time I might add.” Bowing slightly, Loke blinked and stared at her. “Wait…you’re that girl from the guild! You’re a celestial wizard?” He sounded almost horrified at the realization, before he quickly recovered and sighed. Straightening his tie, Loke gave her a slight smile. “Never mind, I suppose that is not important. Just know that the details of our contract are open-ended, as per the agreement with the Celestial Spirit King. Call on me anytime you need.”

“Well, right now I need you to help Zeref.” That made him blink in surprise, turning around to see Zeref standing beside the Eternal Flame.

“You know of Karma, do you not?” The celestial spirit blinked at him, with wide eyes.

Stepping closer, Loke focused on Zeref’s gaze. “Yes but…you can’t seriously be thinking about using that spell. It’s dark magic, no matter how helpful it might seem.”

Looking away from him, Zeref tilted his head slightly. “Just what defines magic as dark? What makes a particular spell light? Yes, Karma is known for terrible things…it has caused pain and suffering in the world, just as I have done. However…it was not the actions of the spell that did so, but rather the one utilizing it. In the hands of a corrupt wizard, any magic becomes dark magic, and even the lightest of spells become horrendous and disfigured. Despite all of this…I still feel as if Karma is too powerful to reside in our world. With your help, I wish to hide it away in a place where none can use it again…after first eliminating another dark evil from this world.”

“What do you want me to do with it? Hide it away in Fairy Tail?” Loke snorted, rolling his eyes at Zeref and shoving his hands into his pockets.

Smiling, Zeref shook his head. “No, that would make us a target for dark guilds seeking its power. My intention is making it far more difficult to access…by hiding it away in another world entirely.” Loke’s eyes widened, his back stiffening as his eyes widened and gazed at Zeref. “After utilizing Karma to end the suffering caused by my curse…I wish to seal it away in the Celestial World where none can find it again.”

“Wait, why didn’t you say something about that sooner?” Natsu frowned, crossing his arms over his chest and stepping towards Zeref. “I mean, it would have been easier to just ask Mustache to help while he was here earlier.”

“The Celestial Spirit King does not have time to waste on things like this. Much like the gods, he oversees a great many of individuals and guides them down the proper paths in life.” Letting his gaze linger on Loke, he noticed the way the spirit sighed and nodded. 

“Right. So, where is it? I can’t exactly hide away something I can’t grab.”

Lifting his arm, Zeref pointed towards the flames eating away at the pedestal before them. Following his arm, Loke stared into the fire with wide eyes. “No way…I’ll get myself killed trying to get anything out of a burning pit of fire.”

“There’s no way I’d even let one of my spirits try something like that either.” Lucy added, glaring at Zeref. “Find another way to free that spell of yours, Loke will only help once it is out.”

Something about the flames seemed to be less intense now, though. Their heat had faded slightly, and while they were still burning away, Zeref thought he could spot a glint of something in the center. Frowning, he focused on it again, confirming what he was seeing. “Mavis…have these flames changed since we arrived?”

“Well, it is unlikely, based on what we’ve heard. It has been burning for four hundred—“ Mavis broke off, her eyes wider as she focused on the flames. “They have. But…why?” She paused for a moment, placing her hand on her chin and tilting her head towards the ground. For a moment, they stood in silence while Zeref waited for her to think of just what had caused the change. “The dragon.” Her declaration made Natsu frown in confusion.

“Huh?”

“The dragon…or at least, his wishes. Something we’ve stated has appealed to the dragon here, the dragon holding onto Karma tightly within the bounds of this fire.” It was a reasonable assumption, Zeref noted. Studying the flames closely, he approached them slowly and stood just slightly away from the base of the Eternal Flame. This time, he gave himself more space to avoid another coughing fit from smoke inhalation.

Lifting his gaze to stare into the center of the pyre, Zeref calmed his expression. “The creature still lives…Atlas Flame, the dragon that vanished…” Zeref glanced over at Natsu, smiling slightly. “It appears as if you were correct before, Natsu. Atlast Flame still lives…in some form, at least. Based on what I can tell, he has weakened greatly, but this fire still acts as his will, and only by appealing to him can we gain Karma.”

The flickering heat seemed to be waiting for more, while Natsu and Lucy approached by his side. “Well, if he doesn’t give it over, I’ll just eat away his flames and take it anyway.” With a grin, Natsu crossed his arms over his chest. “Sounds like we still get Karma, right?”

Smacking his arm, Lucy glared at him. “Don’t insult the dragon! I’m sure he has ways of keeping it safe from an idiot like you.” That made Natsu roll his eyes, grinning over at her.

“Nah, I’ll figure something out.”

Sighing, Lucy turned towards the fire instead. Her gaze softened, staring up at the flames with a slight smile. “Look, I know you’ve been around for a long time. Probably, you’ve been busy protecting these people with your fire…but now, I think we both know you need to rest. That power of yours is weakening, and you can’t protect Karma forever.”

In response, the flames ignited and burned even brighter for a brief moment. The sight blinded Zeref, making him lift a hand to shield his face from the heat wave. Standing by her side, Mavis attempted her own announcement after the outburst faded away. “It hurts, hearing things like that. I know, because I’ve always been weak. I had to turn to Zeref to learn how to fight…and then, when I failed again, I had to turn to Zeref once more to remember why I wished to fight…to remember why I even wanted to live. My magic…it isn’t meant for fighting like yours or anyone else’s. However, all magic has its limits…even the strongest of creatures cannot hold a spell for all of eternity. At some point, you will have to pass on your mantle to another…to someone you trust. Is it possible to earn that trust, great dragon?”

The flickering flames faltered for a brief moment, as if waiting to hear more. Clearing his throat, Loke approached. “Zeref is not perfect. I will make no claim that he is a saint, nor will I claim that he has done anything to warrant praise in his past. However…I know of his integrity, and of his honesty. If he makes you a promise, he will keep it no matter the cost to himself. I know, because he made a promise to me, a long time ago. He vowed to give me a place to stay, where I would learn to value life again…and that if I did not feel inclined to keep moving on, he would personally see to it that my life ended. He fought with everything he had to ensure I lived on…and for that, I can never repay him enough. At the very least…I can make sure Karma remains in the Celestial World where no one can abuse its strength again.”

There was no change this time, making Zeref stare at them and sigh. He ran a hand through his hair, glancing towards the one person who had yet to speak. Flare had been completely silent, observing them as they spoke with the fire she worshipped as a part of her life in this town. Her hand grasped the arm on the opposite side of her, and her gaze avoided staring at any of them. “Blondie…she understood what you were to us. I attacked them…I hurt them all…yet, Blondie protected me. If you can grant one as pitiful as me such a great gift…at least help these wizards end their suffering, even if you do not allow them to retain possession of your greatest treasure.”

A strand of fire seemed to reach out towards Flare, though it pulled back at the last second. For a moment, Zeref had seen the way it almost wrapped protectively around the young girl, showing just how this dragon felt about this village. Closing his eyes, Zeref sat down before the flames, staring at his lap. “I am not owed anything. There is nothing I have done to earn redemption for my past, nor have I aided anyone in a way that did not help myself. My karma…I should be the one punished, yet the consequences of my actions only seem to cause others pain, rather than myself. Perhaps you’ve heard of my curse, or perhaps you have not, either way, my legacy is nothing but pain and sorrow for everyone involved. Regardless of my intentions, regardless of what I believe…people die endlessly around me, as a result of a dark curse that cannot be eliminated through any means known to mankind.”

He gazed back into the flames, the heat seeming to warm his clothes and seep into his skin. It was a comforting feeling, almost making his eyes drift shut. “Leaving magic behind…it will ensure that a great many people no longer have to suffer. I am no dragon, nor am I a hero or a protector of any form…but I do wish to protect those who I hold dear, just as you do for this village. Please, allow me to end this suffering…allow me to end the suffering of the world, so I can shoulder the consequences of my actions on my shoulders alone, and not on the shoulders of the world.”

With that, the flames seemed to stay still for a moment longer, before slowly parting. Two bands of flame split apart, surprisingly looking much like Flare’s hair had during her attack. Within the center, a strange object seemed to rest within the pedestal. A dark black crystal with a smooth surface sat within. Shaped almost like the head of a rose, Zeref reached out to grasp it in his palm. As soon as he pulled it free of the pedestal, the flames closed once more, resuming their endless burning within Sun Village. Studying the object closer, Zeref spotted a single spot of clear crystal, sparkling from the center of the spell, a clear light shining out within the sea of darkness. Inside, he could sense a strange warmth of swirling energy, massive in amount and still capable of storing more. 

Lifting his gaze towards the fire, Zeref smiled with tears in his eyes. “Thank you…Atlas Flame. Never did I imagine my savior to be a dragon…since it was a dragon that tore my life apart in the first place.” The flames were unresponsive, but he felt the need to express his gratitude anyway. 

Turning towards Loke, Zeref held out Karma towards the spirit with a deep breath. “Tell me, what must I do to activate it? Surely, you know the concepts behind utilizing the spell your own kind helped to create.”

Reaching out, Loke grasped the spell within his own hand, holding it up in his palm. His gaze lifted towards Zeref, a stern expression lying behind his tinted glasses. “Are you sure this is what you want, Master? Once this is activated…there is no reversing the process. Your magic will never return again.”

Turning towards Mavis, he spotted the other girl smiling and stepping closer to his side. She wrapped her hands around his arm, hugging herself close to his side with a smile. “Yes, we are. Magic is wonderful and amazing…but I would give it all up if I could actually enjoy my time with my friends again. Don’t you agree, Zeref?”

Brushing aside a strand of her hair, Zeref smiled down at her and nodded. “Always…you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this…for a way out of my curse…” He trailed off, turning back towards Loke who nodded.

“Very well. I advise the rest of you to stand back. I cannot say how much this blast will affect…but, I will make sure you are the main targets, Masters.” With a slight smile, Loke closed his eyes. His fingers curled around the crystalline flower, hiding the darkness away from view as Natsu pulled Lucy away from Zeref. He looked ready to run at a moment’s notice. Standing by them was Flare, watching with her head tilted and an odd smile on her face. She actually looked amused by this whole thing, but Zeref couldn’t quite tell if that was the case, or if it was just the odd expression she seemed to always wear.

At first, Zeref didn't notice a change. He stood still, read for something to occur, but after a moment, he began squinting at the area near Loke, searching for a sign of Karma’s activation. Then, he saw a strange red mist begin to spread outward from the spell as the crystal in the center flashed with a brief flare of golden light. Expanding further, the red haze circled around himself and Mavis, trapping both of them in a spell that swirled around much like the power of their curse. Glancing to his side, he spotted Natsu, Lucy, and Flare stepping back just a little further, though the spell was still a distance away from them.

Something seemed to almost reach inside of him, pulling harshly against every muscle lining his body. It reminded him almost of the sensation of the R-System being utilized on himself, but it was far more widespread in terms of the discomfort. Ethernano ran through his veins, and in order to extract it, every part of his body was subject to the onslaught of magic trying to steal the energy away from within him. He grimaced and clenched his teeth together, just waiting for it to end. By his side, he heard Mavis whimper slightly, hunching over against his side. She pressed her head closer to his chest, groaning as her legs began to give out. Leaning against him, her weight began to drag him down as well, pulling them both to the ground in the haze of magic.

Pounding began to fill his body as a different magic filled him as well. His head felt like it was about to explode, and his eyes widened in fear. By his side, Mavis gasped and screamed in pain, black beginning to swirl into the red haze around them. Ankhseram’s Curse was not willing to leave without a fight, it seemed. The tendrils of black leaking from both of them swirled tightly around their bodies, latching on as if it could re-enter themselves after released. Feeling weakness and fatigue begin to settle over him, Zeref wondered if this spell would actually bring about his death, with the curse activating at the same time he lost his immortality.

Swaying by his side, Zeref saw Mavis begin to collapse entirely. With wide eyes, he began to violently shake her shoulders, ignoring his own pain. Rolling her over, he noticed her eyes drifting shut, a weak smile on her face as she lifted her hand to touch his cheek. “No…I will not allow this to happen again…” He trailed off, gripping her hand tightly and desperately searching for a solution. By now, the haze around them was an even mix of red and black, a dark and deadly storm that would ravage this town if he moved from where he stood. He could attempt to utilize a last-second spell, but his energy had been sapped so much that he did not believe it would have any effect.

Feeling his own eyes drift shut, Zeref pressed a hand to his forehead and fought against the desire to sleep by her side. She was the one who wanted to live. Mavis was the one who pushed him towards this. He could recall her smile, all of the hope in her gaze as she told him they’d look together for a cure. He remembered the way she came to him, so desperate for a semblance of normal life that she was willing to just pretend for a day that she had such a thing. He remembered her coming back to life, still believing it had been that day a hundred years ago, when he first told her he loved her. He remembered her forgiveness, and the way she never gave up on him.

Glaring into the sky, Zeref let out an anguished shout, a mixture between a growl and a howl of pain. Before, he had kept his agony hidden away. He had thought he could hide behind a wall of indifference, but he no longer saw that path as an option. Hunching over her unmoving form, Zeref pressed her hand closer to his cheek, waiting for her to make some sign of motion by his side. 

Another jerking sensation on his body made him gasp, pulling him forward onto his hands and knees. He was forced to release Mavis, but the reaction made him glare and pound a fist into the ground. Despite the pain, he continued doing so, trying to use the pain to clear his mind to focus. As he did so, he spotted someone just at the edge of the haze, moving closer with a fierce expression of determination in his gaze. Lifting his head, Zeref’s eyes widened as more tears flooded down his cheeks. He shook his head violently no, but Natsu didn’t stop coming closer. “Stop…I can’t lose you too…please, just leave me alone!”

He had meant it to be a shout, but it came out as a whispered gasp. His arms gave out, leaving him lying down on his stomach, his head turned to the side to gaze at Mavis. Her unmoving form looked so peaceful, with a small smile on her face. Her hair sprawled out against the stone ground, fanning out in a golden haze, making her figure seem almost angelic in a way. Smiling, Zeref shook his head and corrected that thought. She didn’t look angelic; she was fairy-like.

At the edge of the haze, he heard a shout that didn’t quite reach his ears. Lifting his head slightly, he spotted Natsu lifting up something in his hand. With a moment of hesitation, Natsu threw the object into the harsh vortex of magic around him. Blinking in shock, Zeref attempted to stand and find the object, but it was already lost in the violent storm around him. Fierce magic like this emitted a force like wind, causing objects to spin around and lift into the air at times. Within this haze, Natsu had released his scarf, and Zeref had no idea what had possessed him to do so. However, he knew just how much that object meant to his brother, and he was not going to let it get lost in this storm.

Stumbling, Zeref fell once more as he tried to move forward and find the object. However, as he did so, he couldn’t stop himself from glancing back at Mavis. He chocked again, closing his eyes and gripping his hair tightly. Natsu was still alive, so the scarf should hold more importance…but he couldn’t bring himself to leave her side. She was a lost cause, but he had to save her somehow. The thought left him immobile, but the vortex seemed to drag the scarf just above his head. Lifting his gaze, Zeref spotted it and reached upward. Barely managing to grasp the material, he heard a slight tear that made his eyes widen. His grip had not grasped enough of it to war against the force of the magic. Instead, it had begun to tear, a shred of it remaining in his palm as he stared with wide eyes at the rest of the scarf. Only a corner had been torn, but considering the place it had come from, Zeref knew this wasn’t going to turn out well.

Stumbling upward again, he managed to finally grasp the scarf and press it to his chest. This time, he was not going to let it go. His gaze returned to Mavis, seeing her skin grow paler. The sight made a hole fill his chest, a sob tearing its way through him as he desperately clung to the fabric in his hands. “—immunity! Damn it, Zeref, give it to Mavis!” Finally, Natsu’s shouts seemed to make it through to him. He frowned for a moment at the boy’s words, before his gaze flickered to the scarf in his grip. It wasn’t the white object he was used to seeing around Natsu’s neck. Instead, it was turning more black every second, absorbing more of the magic around him. With wide eyes, Zeref realized now why Natsu had thrown this to him.

Crawling over to Mavis, Zeref desperately began to wrap the cloth around her neck. It was an odd look for the girl, but he did not care about that for the moment. All he wanted to do was save her, to see her brilliant green eyes open once more. He needed to hear her voice, telling him she was alright. Any sign would be enough, to calm the violent storm raging in his mind and tearing him apart faster than the spell around him.

Slowly, the cloud around them began to dissipate. Black swirls vanished first, fading away and leaving nothing but a bright red haze. Then the red swirls began to swarm even closer to Zeref and Mavis, spiraling into the air above them and creating a funnel-like shape. It began to grow lighter in color, transforming from red to a light pink in the sky around them. As the color changed, one last tearing sensation filled Zeref’s body, though he had long since grown to ignore that feeling. Instead, he focused on clutching Mavis close to his chest, waiting for her to move. One final outburst of magic fill the area, shoving back the others with the force of the spell. When it cleared away, everyone could only stare in silence at the sight of the former black wizard, holding the still, pale form of Fairy Tail’s first master.


	102. A New Master

Zeref didn’t care about the weakness in his body. Nothing felt sore per say, but he felt as if there was no energy left within him. Despite that, and the fact that it felt like his senses had dulled to almost nothing, he continued stroking Mavis’ hair, pressing her head to his chest with his eyes closed. His mouth was held in a tight grimace, his chin pressed into her hair as Natsu and Lucy began stepping closer to him.

“Your scarf…it’s black.” Lucy stared at it with wide eyes, though Zeref tried to tune out their voices.

“Yeah, Zeref’s magic does…er, did that to it, I guess.” Watching closely, Natsu sighed. “Looks like that was kind of a stupid move too…there’s a hole in Igneel’s scarf now.”

Blinking at him, Lucy continued on. “Really? Mavis is dead, and you’re focused on that?”

Shrugging, Natsu glanced away. “You were the one who brought it up first. Besides…she isn’t dead. My scarf protected me from Zeref’s magic…it did the same for her.” He sounded so certain of that fact. Zeref almost smiled, trying to imagine truth in those words. To someone as bright and optimistic as Natsu, perhaps it was true, but Zeref always saw the darkest side of the world. Everything he loved perished. This was the price he had to pay for thinking he could be freed from that.

“I’m sorry…Mavis, you never deserved this…” He trailed off, letting her body limply hang from his arms. Her back arched over his arms, her hair fanning out onto the ground once more. Gently, he let her rest, shakily rising to his feet. Inhaling deeply, he focused his gaze on the others and hardened his expression. This was not how he dealt with grief. He knew what to do. “Let’s go.” His voice turned harsh and cold in an instant, his jaw clenching and his hands tightening into fists.

As he turned to leave, he felt a hand grab his arm. “Not so fast. You went through all of that work to save her, now I’m not going to let you just back down now.” Loke was staring at him, giving him a slight smirk. “I know you, Master, and I know the look of someone who hates everything they do. In case you can’t remember, that was what I was like when you first met me.” That made Zeref scowl, wishing he could actually lash out against the spirit. Maybe he shouldn’t have gotten rid of his magic so easily. At least then, Mavis would still be alive.

Seeing his glare, Loke sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Behind him, Lucy had stopped and knelt down by Mavis’ form. Her hand pressed against Mavis’ wrist, carefully studying the girl before her eyes flashed up towards Zeref. “She’s still alive! Natsu, Zeref…I can feel a pulse.” She smiled brightly, as if it was the best news in the world.

He tried to gaze at Mavis’ still form coldly, with anger in his heart. However, the rage that he had managed to hold onto for so long was dead. Before, it had been so easy to find things to be upset over. Deaths of others, anger at himself, anger at the world…it all felt natural, in a strange way. Now, it felt like only a ghost of those emotions remained, as if the anger and hatred had been a part of his curse as well. It left him staring at her with wide eyes instead, feeling more moisture in his eyes yet again. “No…please, not again…” He fell to his knees, collapsing by her side on the opposite side of Lucy.

Coming closer, Flare frowned at her and tilted her head. “Blondie…Blondie won’t move?” She frowned and knelt down, her hair unraveling and resting straight yet again. A strand stretched towards Mavis, making Zeref glare harshly at her. This managed to bring out that dormant anger, seeing that dangerous strand of hair nearing Mavis’ still form. He reached out and grabbed it, protectively wrapping an arm over her body and glaring at Flare. “I will help…we have medicine that can heal. Please…Blondies shouldn’t have to die.” With that, she smiled at Lucy who laughed nervously and rubbed the back of her head. 

Taking a deep breath, Zeref closed his eyes for a moment. By his side, he felt Natsu touch his shoulder gently. “Look, I get that this is hard…but you have to trust someone eventually, Zeref. You’ve got no magic, and Mavis needs help…so let these people do something, before it really is too late.” Staring into his brother’s face, Zeref slowly leaned back, releasing Mavis with a ragged breath. The dragon slayer had a valid point, he was simply exhausted and couldn’t focus on anything at the moment.

Reaching around his neck, Zeref closed his eyes and toyed around with the locket. Slowly, he pulled it off and held it out towards Natsu, as Flare began to lift Mavis onto her back to move her back into town. By her side, Lucy seemed to help support her weight, ensuring that the girl didn’t fall. “I’m sorry…about your scarf. This may not be the same…however, it has always been precious to me. Perhaps it can help make up for what I’ve done?” It came out as a question, and the locket dangled between them for a moment.

Eyeing it, Natsu seemed to hesitate for a moment. Then, he reached over and snatched it away, wrapping it around his neck with a grin. “Alright, then how about a trade? I’ll keep this safe for you, so long as you promise to keep my scarf safe.” Then, he paused for a moment and frowned. “Well…maybe for a week. I don’t think I’ve ever really gone longer than a day without it…” 

Chuckling, Zeref shook his head and rose to his feet. The area seemed to spin around him, and he stumbled back again and pressed a hand to his head. Two people grabbed his arms on both sides, making him see Natsu and Loke holding him up. “Careful. Losing your magic isn’t a pleasant experience…it often leaves you weak and drained. In fact, Mavis’ reaction is far more common than you might think…though, I’ve only ever heard of Karma being used once, so I can’t be certain of all of its effects.” Loke smiled at him with the explanation, as if it was able to calm him instantly.

“Come on, let’s head into town and grab something to eat. It’ll help you get your strength back…and it’ll get your mind off of Mavis while Lucy and Flare take care of her.” With that, Natsu began dragging Zeref along down the stairs and back into Sun Village. Zeref’s arm was draped over the dragon slayer’s shoulders, his weight heavily being supported by the wizard. Following after them was Loke, who hesitated after a moment, his hand wrapping around Karma before he shook his head.

“I can’t go with.” His gaze flickered up to Zeref who frowned before focusing on the spell himself. Then, he smiled slightly, sighing and nodding towards the man. “Sometimes, protecting others requires sacrifice, Zeref. You’ve suffered a lot…but you’ve also helped far more people than you realize. Thank you…for bringing me to Fairy Tail, and for saving my life. I promise, if you ever need anything from me in the future, just look to the stars and I’ll come running.”

Nodding, Zeref watched as the man gave a wave, vanishing into a pool of light. With Loke back in the Celestial World, Natsu and Zeref continued moving towards town. “So…what next? I mean, your curse is gone, Mavis is back…I can’t really think of any other plans of yours to follow through with.” 

Blinking, Zeref frowned for a moment. He gazed at Natsu, furrowing his brows slightly before his eyes widened. “I…I have no plans.” It seemed to strange, and it gave him an oddly empty feeling. “Nothing…there is nothing more I had in mind to accomplish. Never once did I imagine this would happen…ending my curse has never been a possibility.”

Patting his back, Natsu grinned. “Yeah, well I guess you’ve got some thinking to do. I’ve got my training mission with Lucy next…but I’ll be back. Then, I expect you to still be around, alright brother? We’ve got a lot of bonding to do ourselves, especially since we couldn’t really do much because of that curse of yours before.” 

Smiling, Zeref laughed lightly and glanced away. However, his laugh ended quickly, the memory of Mavis’ collapsing body filling his mind. He flinched slightly, grimacing and glancing towards the ground. “I…so long as Mavis survives, I believe that will be the case.” He couldn’t promise anything if she did not recover.

He felt a hand smack the back of his head, making him stumble forward and nearly fall onto the ground. “Oi, don’t do that again! I’ve worked hard to get you this far, and I’m not letting you back down now. You don’t wanna kill me anymore, right?” Biting his lip, Zeref avoided Natsu’s gaze and nodded. “And you don’t wanna kill Mavis, right?” Nodding yet again, Zeref began to frown. “Can you tell me the name of anyone you actually want to kill?” This gave Zeref a greater pause. He stared at the sky, seeing clouds clearing away far more than before above them. Slowly, he began to take a deep breath and shake his head. “Good. That means it was all just a part of the curse…and it also means we’ve gotta keep things that way. You aren’t going to kill yourself, Zeref, because I won’t let you.”

Feeling an odd warmth, Zeref nodded and smiled towards Natsu. “You know…I believe I was supposed to be the one protecting you. At least…that was what I had thought for so long.” 

Grinning, Natsu began dragging Zeref along yet again, pulling him into one of the massive buildings lining the street. The smell of grilled meat filled the air, smoky and salty at the same time. “Yeah, well, we aren’t exactly normal, now are we? Why should we follow normal expectations for siblings? That would be kinda boring, right?”

Staring at Natsu, Zeref blinked for a moment. Then, he sighed and gave his brother a tired smile. Perhaps he should look into siding with Natsu’s mindset at times. If he could do so, he would smile a lot more and worry a lot less. Mavis was going to recover, he just had to believe that. So long as he did, he could smile and enjoy this time with Natsu, finally being able to act like the brother he was meant to be. However, Natsu did have a valid point himself. Maybe he could treat Natsu like his own brother, but they would still have their own unique way of dealing with each other.

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A few days later, Mavis recovered and was ready to travel once more. From what he had heard, she really had been suffering from severe exhaustion. While it was a relief to hear, Zeref felt oddly ashamed to have been so worried over nothing. He apologized to Flare before leaving, explaining his reaction, but the girl had only giggled and waved goodbye to her “blondies”.

“Do you think we could talk August into coming to us?” Mavis posed her question on the train ride back to Fairy Tail, leaning her head against his shoulder. Zeref sat by the window, gazing outside and simply enjoying the ability to be so close to Mavis, without the fear of killing her. It still felt so strange, however, without the restless energy in his veins, it was easy to forget about his time with his curse. Considering how hazy his memories were, it felt almost like an odd dream that was already just becoming a haunting nightmare to learn lessons from.

Turning towards her, Zeref shrugged. “Likely. He is quite loyal…after all, I had raised him to be a soldier.”

That made Mavis pout, glancing away. “Poor August, he never even got the chance to be loved as a child by his parents…well, we’re going to change that, aren’t we?” She had smiled so brightly that Zeref couldn’t help but nod in agreement. This was the girl he remembered first meeting, the one who never had the curse in the first place. Unsurprisingly, Mavis recovered far quicker than him. Zeref didn’t think he’d ever quite be the same person he was before his curse, but he knew he could at least grow to be comfortable around others for now. Then, he could work on trust and from there, work on building relationships that actually mattered.

Across from them, Lucy and Natsu smiled. “I still have trouble imagining it…you two are parents…and your kid looks older than both of you..” Sighing, Lucy pressed a hand to her head. Zeref didn’t quite know where she had heard of August from, but rumors spread quite easily around the guild so he wasn’t too surprised to hear her speaking about it. “I just can’t picture it…especially with how young Mavis looks…”

Nodding, Zeref already realized it could become problematic. Enough people had given the two of them odd looks whenever there was any form of excessive affection between them. A kiss in the train station earlier had made someone pull Mavis away from him, threatening to call officials for sexual abuse. Apparently, they had believed he was a pedophile, which had only made him frown in confusion, while Mavis insisted that he was no such thing. Maybe he had lost track of customs in terms of relationships, because that event only escalated on the train. People kept giving them confused looks as they cuddled in their seat on the train, and others whispered about their actions.

“Well, August is kinda a weird guy, anyway. Still, I think it makes sense that he’s Zeref’s kid. The guy has some insane magic power…and apparently, he knows almost every kind of magic.” That made Mavis blink in surprise, leaning forward and releasing Zeref for a moment.

“Really?” Her eyes were wide, looking for information about the son she had never met. “Wow…I can’t believe he’s so accomplished! Do you think he’ll still want to learn from me? There’s so many things to teach him about…I have to show him about fairies, and adventures, oh, and the true purpose of the guild, of course…” She trailed off, biting her lip as tears came to her eyes. “So many things…but…I’m not going to get to do all of that, am I?”

Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, Zeref squeezed her arm gently. “Enjoy what time you have Mavis…perhaps August is nearing his end, however, we still have some time to go. For the first time in years…death is an option for both of us, and we are no longer standing beyond the flow of time.” Blinking up at him, Mavis sniffled slightly and wiped away her eyes. She gave him a nod, pressing against his side once more as the train continued on. When they returned, he would ask Mira to help him contact August. Then, his son could come to Fiore, where he could join a true family unlike the harsh setting he found in the Alvarez Empire. Perhaps it was even time for him to find a successor…the thought made him smile, realizing he had no more need for the militaristic nation he had spent so much time building. The game was over, and he had no more need for pawns. Now, he needed to find friends and family, and a path to move on towards the future.

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Months passed since their return. Natsu and Lucy left to train, just as promised. Natsu stayed in contact by actually writing letters, since Zeref couldn’t communicate with magic anymore. The last he had heard, Natsu was getting confused a lot about Lucy. He kept feeling like he didn’t want to fight with her, which was weird since he liked fighting against everyone. Then, he talked about how he felt the need to stop her from crying all the time, though he figured that was just normal because they were friends. The more Zeref read Natsu’s thoughts, the more amused he grew. Even Mavis laughed at times from his comments, seeing how oblivious the dragon slayer was to his own feelings, along with the feelings of others.

August had come to Fiore for a moment, finally having a moment to sit down with Zeref and Mavis. It had been uncomfortable to say the least, establishing that it was known that the three of them were a family. Despite insisting that he wished for change, August had smiled at them with a single tear in his eye. “I’ve finally found what it means…thank you. Please, there is no need for anything to change, Sire. As for you…perhaps it is time we knew each other, Mother, however, I feel as if I’ve learned all there is to know from my emperor.”

He sounded far more pleased than Zeref expected, and he wished more had come from it. Mavis cried for nearly a week over his reaction, begging Zeref to call him again and make August return. Eventually, she realized he had grown up without her, and he no longer needed his mother to guide him forward in the world. After he returned to the Alvarez Empire, Zeref did contact him once more. He asked if August had any desire to rule, since Zeref no longer felt the inclination to remain behind. “If it is your wish…then I will gladly take the throne. Oh…and please tell Mother…I apologize for my harshness before. You see, I had been searching for answers this whole time…the answer as to what it means, for a parent to love their child. I see it now…the pain it has caused you. To love a child is to suffer for the parent, and that is not what I wished for the one you cared so much for.”

The logical explanation had surprised Zeref in a way, but he supposed it shouldn’t have done so. It was a lot like the man he had come to trust more than any other of the Spriggan Twelve, and based on the way Mavis hadn’t been able to stop crying when she met August, it was a reasonable conclusion to her actions. He never blamed August for his decision, and when he informed Mavis of his reasoning, she looked as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. While they did not speak, Mavis and August both cared for each other more than either of them seemed to realize, and it was enough to make Zeref happy with their broken, separated family.

Upon returning to Oshibana, Zeref had stopped by Officer Jackson’s home with a gift to thank him for his actions. “While it isn’t quite what you imagined…I do believe you should be capable of utilizing this.” With that, he had given the man the staff he had received from Edolas. The power within had weakened, but even a non-wizard in Earthland should posses the ability to utilize magical objects like this from the other world.

The officer had laughed, taking the staff and setting it aside in his house before Mavis and Zeref left. “Sorry, but I can’t help but find it amusing that you give me magic, right after getting rid of your own. I still can’t believe you found it…but I’m happy for you. You two look…happy, compared to before.” With that, they had left and returned home to the guild.

Back in Fairy Tail, the guild was still following his leadership. Despite not being a wizard, he knew far more about magic than anyone else alive. They were still a dark guild, but that was not going to remain the case for long. Mavis had a plan, but for now, they were still taking odd jobs from the citizens in Oshibana. In fact, the citizens had grown to support their guild far more than before. While Zeref had been gone searching for Karma, the members of the guild had volunteered to help repair the damages to town. Word spread of their guild, and they became known as the only dark guild in history to actually help the town they lived in. People came to them with almost any kind of job after that, from fighting magical creatures like vulcans to asking them to watch their kids while they were at work. It wasn’t the typical guild, but it was their guild and it made them happy to see things running so smoothly.

Today, things were going about as usual. Mira was serving drinks out to the wizards inside. Cana was trying to outdrink everyone in the guild, and just like before, no one was getting even close to competing with her. She laughed as Macao ran to the bathroom to vomit from his most recent drink, leaving her contest running with just her, Bisca, and Makarov left standing. Cheering them on were Gray, Erza, and Elfman.

Standing at the request board, Nab was studying each job closely as usual. The thunder legion was off on their own, taking up their own corner of the guild and glaring at anyone who came close. Sitting with Lisanna were Wendy and Levy, talking amicably to the other wizard. Standing on the floor not far from them were Happy and Charle. From here, Zeref could have sworn the blue cat was trying to give the other one a fish, but Charle only huffed and turned her head away from him.

Mavis and Zeref stood by the counter, observing everyone in silence. There was a small smile on Zeref’s face as Mavis sat on the counter itself, her legs swinging and dangling over the side. “So, what do you think is next for—“ Mavis was about to ask him something when the doors to the guild hall burst open. On the other side was the familiar sight of the rune knights, lead by none other than Captain Lahar.

Considering the fact that he was a rune knight, Zeref should have seen this coming. Add in the fact that he was an enchantment wizard who had already found a way past Freed’s enchantments and it was a given that a raid would occur at any moment. Rising to their feet, Levy, Lisanna, and Cana began to approach the incoming squad of rune knights. Behind them, Gajeel seemed to scowl and glare at Lahar from the corner. 

“Our records state that this wizard guild here has failed to file the proper paperwork necessary to join the official roster of wizard guilds.” Lahar’s gaze was steady and calm as he made his declaration to everyone. “Fairy Tail, you have two options. Either provide me with the name of your guild master, and become an official guild once more, or be arrested under the charge of running and operating a dark guild.”

Sharing a look, Zeref and Mavis both moved to stand in front of the other wizards who were watching Lahar with wide eyes. Mira was glaring at him harshly, her lips tight and her eyes narrowed. Elfman was scowling, slamming his fist on the table. “To think, I once thought you were a real man.” He shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest.

Cana placed her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow as if to challenge him. Meanwhile, Alzack came to stand next to Bisca, his gaze calmly focused on Lahar and the rune knights. In front of them all, Zeref and Mavis stood, their hands locked together with their expressions both passive and neutral. “I am Zeref Dragneel, and I am the master of Fairy Tail.” 

Frowning, Lahar studied him for a moment. “Hmm…Master, you say?” Shaking his head, Lahar pushed his glasses up his nose and closed his eyes. “Unfortunately, the guild master must be a wizard. I cannot sense an ounce of magic in either of you…essentially, neither of you even qualify as official members.” That left Zeref glaring at Lahar, stepping forward threateningly out of habit. Mavis grabbed his arm, pulling him back and pressing a hand against his chest. Her head shook slightly, giving him a warning look. Sighing, Zeref glanced behind him, biting his lip and wondering just who could surpass him yet again.

Smiling, Lahar put his paper away and smiled. “If I might make suggestion…I have heard of a rather odd wizard that seems to fit in quite well with your guild here. Based on what I’ve gathered, your guild manages itself in a rather care-free way, making him perfect for the job. Tell me, have you ever considered allowing the wizard known as Natsu Dragneel into your ranks? Perhaps as Master, he wouldn’t be taking so many missions that result in destroying public property.”

Blinking, Zeref’s eyes widened as Captain Lahar made a few notes on the paper in his hands. “Well, for now, that’s what I’ll be reporting. I suppose congratulations are in order…it looks like Fairy Tail is an official guild once again.” With that, he turned and left, leaving Mavis and Zeref staring at the doors in shock.

Behind him, he heard mass confusion as wizards crowded around him. “How dare he do that to you? I mean, we trusted that guy and he just forced you out of the guild!” Gray complained loudly, while Erza nodded in agreement by his side.

“Indeed, we will follow no one other than you, Master. Natsu may be your brother, but he does not hold our best interests at heart.” 

Folding his arms behind his back, Makarov frowned at the ground. “I don’t know…so long as we are an official guild, our worries are fading away. It is in our best interest to do so, if possible…and even if we are forced back into legality, they cannot force us to stop viewing Zeref and Mavis as a part of our family.”

By his side, Romeo thrust his fist into the air in the Fairy Tail salute. “Yeah! Zeref and Mavis are awesome, and we’re never kicking them out!”

Other echoed their voices, while Zeref smiled and shook his head. “Actually, he wasn’t kicking me out.” That made them pause, frowning in confusion as Zeref stared at the door. There was a slight smile on his face as he closed his eyes, nodding towards the man that was no longer there before focusing back on his guild. “No…he was helping us. There is only one wizard that the Council would write off so easily…one wizard reckless enough for them to assume it is his fault and not ours for the guild’s actions…Natsu Dragneel. As our Master…they will expect destruction from us, and they will not expect us to follow the rules. At the same time, they owe Natsu for his work with tracking me down…essentially, they cannot work against him, because he can hold their actions of illegally releasing a prisoner against them. In essence…he’s allowed us to become an official guild without changing a thing.”

With that, a few people blinked and began grinning wildly. “Do you mean we can start taking official jobs again?” Levy grinned, clasping her hands together. She rose to go meet her team, but was stopped by Gajeel who leaned down over her, scowling.

“Oi, shrimp, once we’ve got some jobs in this place, you’re going on one with me.” 

“Eh?”

Grinning, Gajeel smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. “You heard me. I ain’t taking no for an answer, either. I’ve gotta work on some tougher jobs, and as much as I’d like to do them on my own, those requests require at least two people to take.”

By Zeref’s side, he noticed Mira’s frown as she raised her hand. “Actually, I don’t think—“ Mavis grabbed Mira from behind, cutting her off and shaking her head. Mira was correct that there were no such restrictions on jobs, and Levy likely knew as well, but it wasn’t their job to ruin the excuse for the guy.

With that, the normal chaos returned to the guild. Glancing over at them once again, Zeref sighed and began moving to return to his room. He was tired, and he had some writing to do if he wanted to inform Natsu of his new status as not only a member of the guild, but as the guild master. Mavis followed after him, and when he sat down on the edge of his bed, she crawled in behind him, wrapping her arms around her neck and resting her head against the top of his. “You know, Fairy Tail hasn’t changed a bit since I first started it. People may be different…but I think you did a great job keeping them all together.”

Smiling, Zeref lifted the palm of her hand to his mouth, kissing it gently. He was slowly growing used to this, to being close to her like this. Only in private were they able to do so, but eventually, they would be able to go out in public and enjoy their relationship more. “I suppose it is…I find it rather odd, looking back. The guild wasn’t all that different as a dark guild. Maybe the only differences between the two are simply the jobs they take.” 

He felt Mavis press her lips into his hair, leaving a smile on his face. “Who knows? Maybe you’re right.” With a smile, Mavis released him and curled up on her side behind him. Snuggling into the blankets, she closed her eyes with a yawn. “All I know is that Fairy Tail is still one big family…and now that you’re actually a part of the guild, it feels like the place I always wanted it to be. Thank you…for taking over for me back then…for keeping my guild alive, exactly how I wanted it to be.” Her hand brushed against his arm, stretching across the mattress and grasping his wrist. Mavis’ eyes opened once more, though her eyelids were drooping slightly.

Leaning back, Zeref let his hand grasp her own, smiling gently at her. He leaned down, pressing his lips to her forehead gently and closing his eyes. “Anything, for you. In a way…I suppose I should thank you. Without Fairy Tail, I would have fallen into despair…I likely would have found death before peace. This guild saved me, even if I didn't realize it before.”

With that, Mavis smiled brightly at him and squeezed his hand. Yawning once more, Mavis let her eyes drift shut. Turning slightly, Zeref leaned back against the headrest of the bed, watching her small form smile peacefully and relax. Her breaths became even and her grip on his hand loosened, even as she curled even tighter against the side of his leg. Pressing a hand to the back of her hair, Zeref couldn’t help but smile and consider himself lucky to have been cursed. If it wasn’t for that, he never would have lived long enough to meet Mavis, and have the chance for a future as bright as his was looking now. Chuckling softly, he gazed out the window and smiled at the amusing contradiction that still lingered in his mind, feeling glad to have been cursed while regretting all the deaths that happened as a result. These days, the joy was becoming stronger than the pain, and he knew that someday, that pain would serve to remind him of the suffering he could have had, instead of the peace he now found.


End file.
